Americas great problem

Americas Great Problem

                Everyday there are students, children and even adults that have to worry about being harassed in their environment that they approach every single day.  If it’s not at school than it’s at a public area or even through the internet were many problems start now a days.  When students see a student or a child that appears to act or look differently than everyone else, than they automatically jump to the conclusion that they are” gay”.  Assumptions are made about particular student’s sexuality by the sports that they like, the way they walk and talk, the way they dress, and even by the crowd of people that they associate with on a typical basis.  The students that make the decision to bully Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and transsexual (LGBT) students and make their lives not worth living for are usually the ones that are not comfortable with their own sexuality and try to punish innocent students. A powerful statement that exists in the military is the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy that changed due to the federal law. Many people have their own opinions on the subject, but people should never look to negatively alter a person’s life because that individual sees the world differently than everyone else.   Parents can also have an extraordinary effect on their Childs impression of different sexualities.  If a parent doesn’t like homosexuals and calls them “Gay” in the house by their own child , than the child will think that it is acceptable to call another student “Gay” straight to their face without any consequences the next time they see a homosexual.  There have been many incidents like this in the past years and it seems that the schools are not doing anything in their power to severely punish the students  that mistreat another student for his or hers preference in gender.  If there is a confrontation and it is seen by a teacher or recorded by the students than the school will usually suspend the student for a couple of days. There should be a more severe punishment because if these are the punishments that the students will receive than you can count on it that there will be more confrontations in public areas about a person’s sexuality. Remarks towards these people are seen as a negative influence for all over the world.   There will never be a permanent solution to stop bullying and sexual harassment, but there are things that people can do to help the percentage of these horrible actions decrease and it takes only one person to stand up for the movement.  There are four types of texts that I have found that cover exactly how much bullying affects the world and the severe cases of LGBT.

One major point that goes through one of the articles is that no one is doing anything to help stop the outbreak of bullying.   There are many different ways that anyone on this planet can do to stop bullying even if it is by just a little amount.  There is a statement in the article that states “think before you speak”.  This is an outstanding statement which should hit everyone in the heart because more than half of the world never actually takes the time to think of how that person’s remark will affect the other person that the comment was actually aimed at.  It has been reported that nine out of ten students that are LGBT members, have been harassed during their time at school.  With this incident happening worldwide, it is causing students that are homosexual to start skipping class, failing, and even having the thoughts of not attending any type of education after their high school years.  It should be addressed by all of the school boards across the nation that it is strongly recommended to lock down on a more aggressive approach on bullying other students.  The Educational Department is taking a dramatic stance because all of the schools that are not doing anything to punish the bully’s for there remarks, are actually violating the civil-rights and the anti-bullying policies. In one text O’Donnell said “Every student deserves an environment free of harassment, an environment that allows every child to reach his or her full potential”. Everyday there are students that stand outside of their school’s due to the fact that they are not sure if they want to attend school because they fell like an outsider and don’t want to get confronted about their sexuality. The feeling that they get cannot be explained, and if any of the bully’s had a chance to actually feel what they were feeling then maybe bullying could come to a closer conclusion of extinction. A reported statistic has come out that more than half of all LGBT students have been harassed in school.  Michael A. Jones states that “In the past years children at the young age of 11 have even taken their own lives because of bulling”. Almost all students that have a problem with Homosexuality don’t see that all LGBT students are regular people just like everyone else in the world except for a preference in the same gender.  Jones stated that “Suicide rates for LGBT are four times as high as they are for heterosexual classmates”.  When students get bullied for the first time, they will always be afraid to go to school because they will always look back to the first day that they were harassed. The Ney York teachers mainly argue that schools should have a safe environment where every student should feel safe.  The tone and the language were very overwhelming for the audience through this article. The last inspiring statement that was mention was by Wicklund. He stated that “If we don’t take a step in the right direction and help those that most desperately need it now, then who will?” Bullying is beginning to slowly decrease but we always need that “one” person to step into a different path and change the game.

                                                 

Political cartoons are always highlighting the subject of bullying and LGBT. They either make skits about the subject that some viewers might find outrageous or some other viewers that might find it as typical humor. This one for example, shows the typical response that a bully would have if he or she was in the particular situation that is in the cartoon. Based on the political cartoon, people that see another person that is in the LGBT group or different than they automatically assume that they do not belong on this planet. Representative Dick Armey gives out the most common response that a bully would say “Who cares what they’re like, I just call them FAGS”. Everyone has different view on the subject and that’s the problem. There are people that it doesn’t bother and they let them be and than there’s the people that overreact and try to punish a person that they do not even know. People need to start realizing that people that are homosexual are the same people as everyone else in the nation. The skit uses some harsh language through the cartoon to explain in their minds what it is. The cartoon allows a person to see how people that are against LGBT react when they are asked a simple question as “What are gays like”.  The creator of this cartoon Barry Deutsch tries to visually explain throughout his skit what most people on the planet think of LGBT and the power of the words that it creates. These strips can hurt people that are involved in LGBT due to the fact that they are all over the internet and show negative responses.

 

Overweight TV anchor Jennifer Livingston responds to viewer ‘Bully’ written by ABC News is a heartbreaking and inspiring situation that will change thousands of people’s lives. In a shocking email by a viewer, the email contained a form of bullying in it. The email said “Surely you don’t consider yourself a suitable example for this community’s young people, girls in particular. Obesity is one of the worst choices a person can make and one of the most dangerous habits to maintain”. Jennifer responded to this email by saying on air “That these attacks are not okay, The truth is I am overweight ,yes you can call me fat and even obese on a doctors chart, But you think I don’t know that, you’re cruel words are pointing out something that I don’t see”. This is coming from the inside of her heart and she is letting people know that it is not alright for anyone to attack anyone that they do now know or anyone of the matter of fact. Jennifer also says that “You are not a friend of mine; you are not a part of my family, so you know nothing about me”. These are powerful worlds that show how often people will choose to speak before they think.  No one has really addressed the issue live on TV before.  Jennifer showed great courage to bring up the issue and confront it on national TV.  She is an inspiration for many people that have been worried about their own weight.  Towards the end of the show her husband speaks out by telling the audience that she exercises two to three times a week and that she has a thyroid condition. People have always wanted to speak out about bullying through some kind of a media and now it has finally happened where thousands of viewers have embraced the movement.  Jennifer’s tone was very direct and not overdramatic towards the situation. She made the most out of the situation and to let the world know that weight is only a number. Jennifer stated that “I wanted to call him out on it”.  I appreciated the fact that she stood strong on the stage and didn’t try to come back with a vicious attack towards the man that had written the email to her. People all over the world will look at this story as an inspiration and hope for people that are or believe to be over the weight of a person.  Jennifer’s approach to the audience made you feel the pain that the email had caused her and that she Is a strong women.

                                     

In the third type of text, an astonishing achievement has happened were Tammy S. Smith was promoted to brigadier general. This was extremely important because it was the first time LGBT member was ranked that high in the military. After a long battle with the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, it finally dropped after a change in the federal law. Tammy is an inspiration to a lot of people because for years the military and army has been a strong place against LGBT.  Ms. Fulton was discharged as a captain in the year of 1986 and he had left the army because she was maintaining a lesbian relationship. The news came out that when Tammy was being promoted, her superiors knew of her sexual preference. People wound have never guessed that a Person that was a homosexual would actually get promoted to the ranks of a brigadier. This inspired tons of people that always got discouraged by the fact that only straight people were awarded those ranks and allowed in the military. Tammy got married to Tracey Hepner on March 2012.  Sue Fulton called smith’s public acknowledgment “significant”. No one thought that it was possible to do what Tammy has accomplished throughout her years in the military. As a colonel, Tammy was deployed to Afghanistan from December 2010 to October 2011. She was bullied as a younger child but she turned her head when anyone would say anything to her about the subject. She always kept a positive mind so that no one can tell her what she can’t accomplish in life. This article goes into a more historical look because the military has always had a strict policy of having homosexuals in their military.

                                                

Tammy’s tone seemed to be positive and very intelligent from the little that she spoke on the matter. Some people believe that LGBT members should never get as high of a position as Tammy has received. People basically discriminate against people in the military if they are not straight because it was a focal point a while ago that being straight was a requirement. She has opened the door for many young faces around the world that want to end up and serving our country.

All four of these texts use the rhetorical tools to show the emotions and tone that all the authors have used. There will never actually be a permanent stop to bullying but if we all start we can lessen the amount in our future. The amount of bullying and physical harassment has decreased over the years due to the fact that more people are now getting comfortable being around LGBT people. Bullying was a problem through the entire piece.  Jennifer’s inspiring speech opened everyone’s ears and made you really think of the power behind the words.  I thought that the New York Teacher article was the best because it had the most information in it about what students think when they attend school.  All the text imported there thesis to grab the reader right into the dialogue of the text. The strongest text was about Jennifer Livingston weight.  The impact that it had was indescribable and should make people start thinking before they actually speak.  This great outbreak that we call “bullying” will keep on decreasing if we just keep getting people to share their personal stories with the public.

Work Cited:

Army General-   http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/aug/10/army-general-becomes-first-gay-flag-officer/

Political Cartoon- http://leftycartoons.com/category/lgbt-cartoons/

NY Teachers taking action for a better world- http://nyteachers.wordpress.com/2010/11/02/creativeteacher83/

ABC: Jennifer Livingston Response- http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/entertainment/2012/10/overweight-tv-anchor-jennifer-livingston-responds-to-bully/

The Interconnectedness Between Texts

In the modern world competition and hierarchy surround us.  In order to fit in one has to wear the newest clothes and shoes, listen to the newest released album, and speak in the modern slang.  Not everyone will wear those clothes, listen to that music, or talk with that vocabulary and those that do not are bullied.  Individuals that fit in the LGBT group are the ones that get bullied the most.  They already do not feel like regular teenagers because they are not heterosexual like the majority of kids their age. Conforming into the recent top music, clothes, or language would not benefit them.  Bullies are everywhere and will never become extinct, but it has recently become an evident problem occurring daily nationwide.  In order to decrease the rate of bully incidents people have created organizations promoting anti-bullying.  These organizations put up videos, posters, pictures, speeches, and articles to address this problem.  Different techniques bring about different results.  A video is more viral and more viewed then say an article in a newspaper.  The world today is more intrigued and understood through technology, but that does not mean to say that an article carries no value.  An article is for a more select audience. It is published in a certain magazine that has certain readers.  A video on the Internet is accessible to everyone, expanding its viewers.  Both texts, a video or a magazine article, promote anti-bullying but follow through with that in different ways reaching different people

Each style of text has a different effect on its viewers, but there are a few reoccurring rhetorical tools that make up each text, such as reasoning, pathos, tone, and language.  These tools all create an effective pattern that raise more and better awareness of LGBT bullying.  Lady Gaga best accelerates the LGBT movement when delivering her “Prime Rib of America” speech, due to her use of logic and reasoning throughout her speech demanding equality given to LGBT individuals everywhere. 

            Rebecca Salcedo, a rising artist from Georgia, painted a picture called “Beautiful life” in plans of donating all the proceeds she received to a scholarship for gay youth.  She painted this picture for the GSBA, the Greater Seattle Business Association, which holds an annual scholarship giving gay kids financial aid to go to school.  At first glance this picture is simple and an onlooker can understand what is happening inside the frame.  After a closer look and dissecting each element created in this painting there is a quantity of significant meaning hidden in Salcedo’s picture.  She sublimely hides it in her use of lighting, landscape, use of color, focus, language, and subjects. 

Her most important element is her subject, who is a wavy haired boy.  He creates a window/mirror effect that the observer can be involved in.  This boy could be anyone, which is the window effect.  I could be that boy, and that could be my city behind him.  However, this subject might possibly not even be a boy.  There is no sure way to tell who or what gender this subject is.  All we can see is a face with hair.  Salcedo’s lightning is very unique because it also works together with her use of color and the point of focus.  The left half of the picture is lighter and turns darker as you slowly glance towards the right.  Her subject looks towards this light, as if something is better over that way.  He faces towards the LGBT rainbow flag as it reflects off his glistening eyes from the light.  She uses light to encourage the continued success of the homosexual community.  Salcedo uses the color blue as a background color to better illuminate this light.  The brighter light to the left of the picture that the boy looks at makes that side of the picture light blue.  Light blue is a color that stands for healing and understanding.  The subject, a LGBT individual, sees understanding in this light.  She pushes LGBT students to keep following the light to understanding.  The only other colors are in the window of an office building where a rainbow flag hangs.  The bright blue, green, red, yellow, and orange quickly draw your eyes to acknowledge the flag’s presence.  It is something so small, but very noticeable.  This is symbolic for the LGBT movement’s hopeful position of being acknowledged.  They are not asking people to join them creating a bigger flag.  They just want their group that is small now to be seen.

Language is an element in “Beautiful Life” that Salcedo uses to portray her thesis through.  The only words in this picture form a sentence that reads, “There’s no such thing as small change.”  Rebecca argues and asserts that any change is big change, especially the LGBT movement’s goal for change.  However, there is nothing to fear because it is a friendly subject that is mislabeled as dark and wrong.  The sentence is divided up into two parts; one part is on a banner attached to a flying plane that reads, “There’s no such thing as,” and part two is on the bridge that covers the bottom of the picture that has “SMALL CHANGE” written over the two hump supporters.  The placement of the words “small change” signify the big change the subject would have to literally make in order to cross the bridge to reach the lighter side of the LGBT social acceptance.  Salcedo incorporates many different elements that are all interconnected making up a phenomenal picture.  The meaning inside “Beautiful Life” is magnificent and Salcedo demonstrates her artistic talent to support and fund the LGBT movement.

            My next text is a political cartoon illustrated by Chan Lowe that has no title, but uniquely there is a question written across the bottom.  The question is Lowe’s use of language in his political cartoon. The picture is three coffins, all with American flags draped over them sitting next to each other in a row.  The question on the bottom reads, “Which one is the gay one?”  This cartoon hits hard for any American who views it.  The observer knows immediately that there are three dead soldiers, which can be painful to look at, weather it is a cartoon or not.  The question at the bottom raises a powerful line of thinking.  There is no possible way to tell which soldier who lost their life was gay.  More then one of them could be gay or even none of them could be gay.  The simple fact is that it does not matter.  The instant reality is that they were all soldiers, who died for America and its citizens.  The gay soldier does not have a rainbow flag on his coffin.  He/She has an American flag because that is what they are, an American, united under the same stars and stripes.    This cartoon also raises a valuable question challenging homosexual respect.  Does our nation only respect gay soldiers after they have served and died?  Do we socially accept that it is okay to verbally and physically attack LGBT individuals everywhere, but then act like the good guy after the unspeakable happens? 

            Ironically this cartoon only has one sentence when usually political cartoons are full of bubbles and objects labeled as things.  This strategy of single sentence use that Lowe uses does not illustrate his thesis like Salcedo’s, but instead reverts attention back to the subjects.  The subjects are the three coffins, and after reading the question the observer will survey the coffins, trying to subconsciously answer the question.  Lowe does not use any color, lighting, landscape, or framing.  More importantly it is the absences of these techniques that hold certain meanings that can easily be overlooked.  The absence of color explains how black and white the military’s  “Don’t ask, Don’t tell” policy is.  There is no gray area, there simply is right and wrong and Lowe’s question leads an onlooker to logically thinking/understanding that the homosexual soldiers current treatment is wrong.

            Both pictures are very effective in clearly standing up for the LGBT community.  Their use of language is the most effective aspect because it ties every element in the picture together.  One sentence is the foundation for both pictures supporting homosexuals. Also each artist has important subjects imbedded in their art.  Salcedo’s face creates a window/mirror effect that the observer can be involved in.  Lowe’s subjects bring out a feeling of nationalism reminding the onlooker of the common bond we all share.  The subjects in each picture make the topic illustrated relatable, allowing the onlooker to understand the pictures full meaning.  The two artists use language and subjects, which are their main effective elements, to explain and raise awareness for the LGBT community. 

            The colors in “Beautiful Life” and the absence of color in Lowe’s political cartoon is the clearest different between the two pictures.  However, the vast difference does not devalue the message in either picture by any means.  The colors Salcedo uses are used to better illuminate the point of focus and the lighting.  Blue is an odd color to paint everything, but Salcedo incorporates and makes the color fit well.  The blue is very different, and almost a little two different.  Her picture would be clearer if appropriate colors were used on the different elements.  The absence of the real colors of subjects makes the picture seem dull and undeveloped.  More colors would brighten the picture making it more appealing.  Lowe’s absence of all colors also works against him.  Since his picture is black and white there is nothing to memorable about his cartoon.  While looking at it, his art is thought provoking and interesting.  After looking away it is hard to remember the cartoon because there is nothing unique about it.  The colors Salcedo uses and the colors Low does not use, do not devalue the pictures message, but do devalue the pictures effectiveness of reaching its full popularity potential.     

Each text that I have selected has similarities and one quality they share is reasoning.  First, we must define what reasoning is.  Reasoning is the use of logical steps to get from point A to Z in a clear way.  Lady Gaga gives a speech she titles “Prime Rib of America.”  The famous songwriter gave this speech during a “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” rally in Maine.  Her speech script and video can be found here.  Her speech is full of reasoning, in fact it makes up quite a bit of her speech.  She sternly starts her speech by giving a prime example of reasoning.  She confronts the straight soldiers excuse that the homosexual soldiers are causing tension among regiments.  She sternly says, “in the workplace, in any workplace, there are tensions, there is even more of a possibility to have tension when you're fighting for your life.”  Gaga is appalled by the fact that the Senate and soldiers are using homophobia as an excuse to discriminate against homosexuals.  She says that tensions can be anywhere, but if the person next to you is willing to fight and protect you to the best of their ability how can one focus on their sexual orientation?  It is wrong that men and women want to fight for their country but are being denied or sent home.  What kind of nation are we if we deny individuals their nationalism?  Gaga is very passionate about this subject and shows her determination for a change through her speech. 

She also uses reasoning when explaining the current twistedness of the military when they send gay soldiers back home.  She says, “the straight soldier who has prejudice in his heart, in the space where the military asks him to hold our core American values, he instead holds and harbors hate, and he gets to stay and fight for our country?”  She is trying to show the hypocrisy that floats through this policy.  How can our nation allow men and women full of hate to fight for freedom?  Gaga goes on to explain how the wrong soldier is being sent home and it is trying to bury the LGBT movement.  The LGBT community is not going away and this prejudice in the military is only hurting the “homophobic” soldiers.  Lady Gaga builds off this thought with another reasoning statement.  She loudly and firmly tells the crowd, “If you are not committed to perform with excellence as a United States soldier because you don't believe in full equality, go home.”  Her tone is authoritative and pairs well with this statement.  She does make sense when saying this.  It is hard to imagine an American soldier fighting for nation-wide individual freedoms while simultaneously holding back freedoms from certain people.  Soldiers fight for everyone and it is impossible for these brave men and women to personally know whom they are fighting for.  They fight for Christians, and Muslims, and Jews, and African Americans, and Asian Americans.  They fight for LGBT individuals.   So, she demands these soldiers to go home for being contradictory.  She is telling these soldiers what to do in her tone.  It is a courageous statement to talk that strongly towards soldiers risking their lives, especially in the modern warfare situation in Iraq, but she stands tall to show the seriousness of this issue.  Her tone adds a more elevated level of effectiveness when you can hear the change in her voice from these intense emotions rising out of her. 

One of my chosen texts is a facebook page called “ABC” which stands for “Anti-Bullying Coalition,” and this corporation uses reasoning everyday with its daily status updates, photo uploads, and videos.  This page is an online group, which any facebook member can join, that strives for a solution for bullying and discrimination towards homosexuals.  This is their facebook page.  The first instance of reasoning is seen in their status updates.  One asks, “What are you thankful for today?” which was posted on October 24^th.  Questions like these updated everyday put a personal level on the reader.  It is asking them what they wouldn’t want to go without in life.  These status updates lead to thinking and realizing that something so precious, such as a child or brother/sister, should never be shown harm, in any way.  This question reasons and relates with the reading member to give full understanding of the harsh reality these kids and young adults go through. 

Another way ABC uses reasoning is in the pictures they post.  One picture reads, “Be sure to taste your words before they come out” that is written on a post it note covering a woman’s mouth.  This picture is asking the observer to match their senses together, taste and auditory, to think carefully about what they say.  It is an interesting technique and a cool quote.  This small picture is very effective because it is simple, yet powerful and challenges the onlooker to better themselves for the sake of others.  Back in October, one woman, Stacy Long, wrote on ABSC’s wall telling about her son’s day at school.  A substitute teacher that day told her son he needed plastic surgery because he was ugly.  After confirming this statement the only action the school officials are enrolling this sub into counseling.  Stacy then called the local news to do a report that night at 6pm (the report can be found here).  This anecdote is actual proof that bulling is not limited to a child’s fellow students.  A teacher harassed this twelve-year-old boy, and there is no excuse.  The story posted gives logical steps to show that no one should be against this anti-bullying movement.  The story gives a reason to join ABC.

            Lady Gaga and the ABC facebook page are both very effective in raising awareness for the anti-bullying movement.  The facebook page adds a little mote attention and a bigger viewing audience then Gaga’s inspiring speech.  Facebook is a daily activity that many account holders practice throughout their day.  The publicity of this page is huge and the variety is has in its posts make it more appealing.  Something new everyday is an attractive aspect that the ABC page uses to stay away from being dull.  Gaga is very successful during her fifteen minutes, but there are more facebook users then people watching Gaga speak.  Although her video is on the Internet it does not reach the viewing audience of ABC.  It would be cool to see ABC put her speech on their website, and see the two texts work together.  Both texts are very effective, but ABC is more viewed and easier to access then Gaga’s speech.  The use of reasoning found in both texts is a special element that makes up and demonstrates the meaning behind the anti-bullying movement

            Another important technique that ABC and Gaga develop their message around is pathos.  Pathos is the emotional appeal an author uses to trigger the feelings of their readers.  Lady Gaga includes pathos in her public speaking further developing her speech, and in return making it more professional and informative.  Her most effective emotional appeal comes at the conclusion of her speech.  She begins her final statement by saying, “My name is Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta. And I am an American citizen.  Equality is the prime rib of what we stand for as a nation.”  This is one of the rare times that Lady Gaga refers to herself using her original name.  She casts away her fame to show she is as equal to the people listening to her.  She leads by example and relates herself to her audience.  She establishes a connection creating a friendship with her crowd.  She disregards her high status as a sacrifice for the LGBT movement.  She puts herself on the line by being the one speaking and labeling herself as the most basic thing she can, an American.  This is emotional because she is giving up her title, when hierarchy and popularity make up the modern world, for the homosexual community.  Another emotional appeal is found when Gaga says, “You are not included. You are not included when we say, "equal." You are not even fully included when we say "freedom."  This is a very harsh sentence and is said with a stern tone.  This sentences shock the listener with its rawness and brutality.  The audience is filled with a deep helpless emotion.  They feel as if they need to do something immediately to reverse the actuality in Gaga’s sentences.  

The first example of pathos found on the ABC facebook page is in a picture they uploaded on October 29^th.  The picture is a paragraph containing six simple sentences, and the words are all decorated in a different font and color.  The two middle sentences are the most important as they read, “Be a blessing.  Be a friend.”   These six words are the solution to end bullying.  The solution is so simple, but requires global participation.  If everyone was a friend and a blessing there would be no need for bullying.  This targets the observer’s emotions because finally can be reminded why he/she is making sacrifices to further the LGBT movement.  It is a reminded for the reader to do their part in helping achieve the solution, and fight for their inner beliefs.

            A video uploaded on October 25^th on the ABC page just recently passed 17 million views.  It is a video one girl, Amanda Todd, made and the news station found it after her suicide.  Her video is located on the ABC news website and can be found here.  She made a video explaining her struggle.  It is a very sad video, but this story greatly hits the people watching it.  It makes you feel uneasy and extremely sad inside.  The watcher hurts for Amanda.  It is hard to watch a teenager admit they are not happy with their lives and what to get rid of it.  This hits the reader hard and in a deep spot.  It is an inspiration to fight harder for the LGBT community’s goals.

            Gaga’s use of pathos when speaking is much more effective then ABC’s use of pathos.  Gaga gets very personal with her audience and creates a connection with her listeners.  ABC’s facebook page has a bigger audience, but they are not as connected compared to Lady Gaga and her audience.  The Anti-Bullying Coalition facebook page is a jumble of stories, videos, photos, and organized events all thrown together.  These are random photos and videos that all promote anti-bullying, but are not connected anyway else.  Lady Gaga speaks to her audience like a friend so they can experience deeper, more intense emotions.  Listening to a friend speak is always more intimate then watching a news report.  Although ABC uses pathos just like Gaga, they are not as effective as the female songwriter.  Gaga using pathos to be relatable and is very successful in using this technique to help her speech be more effective. 

            The last and final technique that both texts incorporate adding to the quality of their promotion to end bullying is language.  The styles of language used in Gaga’s speech and the status updates, pictures, and slideshow videos on the ABC’s facebook page are similar.  Gaga uses very common language with a basic vocabulary.  However there are points where she demonstrates her college education when using a more elevated vocabulary using words like “inadequacies” and “refuting.” Moreover, she is very easily understood and heard throughout her search.  She says, “Equality is the prime rib of America, but because I'm gay, I don't get to enjoy the greatest cut of meat my country has to offer.”  This sets the stage for the rest of Gaga’s speech as she explains how wrong it is that a gay individual cannot receive the same meat everyone else does.  This sentences summaries her entire speech and it is not full of fancy words or statistics.  Instead she uses a simple analogy to better explain her speech.  She also says, “if you serve this country, is it acceptable to be a cafeteria American soldier? Can you choose some things from the Constitution to put on your plate, but not others?” explaining one of her sub points.  She uses another analogy in order to better explain her point of how certain soldiers get rights that others do not.  The common language and easily understood analogies allow for an easier path to follow Gaga’s unique way of thinking.  She is very effective in pairing her language, tone, and analogies together to fully complete a well-structured speech. 

            The ABC facebook page does not have as much significant use of language.  They change their appearance daily and it is hard for certain words to stick out and be remember.  However the size and placement of their cover photo allows for language to be better remembered.  The cover photo on their page is the photo at the very top covering the first half of the web screen.  The photo has a slogan saying “Together We ARE.”  The significance in the word “are” being capitalized to show confirm that the anti-bullying movement is not going anywhere.  They will be recognized, noticed, and a force to be reckoned with.  The cover photo is the most strategic picture since it is the first thing seen on the facebook page. 

            Gaga’s use of language surpasses ABC’s use of language in effectiveness.  Gaga is better with being more influential with her language because it is modern language with easily relatable analogies.  The ABC page is full of language and that is their main source of communication, writing.  Gaga is more effective, but would be even more effective if she used her elevated vocabulary throughout her entire speech and not just at some points.  This would raise the seriousness level of her speech because it is more formal and appropriate for such a touchy subject.  She still is successful in incorporating another rhetoric technique that adds to her quality of speaking/writing.   

            Overall Lady Gaga’s speech “Prime Rib of America” is the most effective texts out of the three analyzed texts.  She uses many rhetorical techniques that add to her speech, making it easily understood.  The most effective rhetorical technique she uses is reasoning and logic.  This technique makes her whole speech unarguable and confirms the correctness and accuracy of her statements.  Lady Gaga is a terrific public speaker and does an excellent job standing up for the LGBT community using analogies, strong tone, reasoning, logic, pathos, and common language during her speech in the “Don’t’ Ask, Don’t Tell” rally in Maine.   

                                                                   

                                                                      Works Cited.  

 

Facebook Inc. “ABC: Anti-Bullying Coalition.” Last modified Novemeber 2,

2012.  Accessed October 27, 2012. Web.

Germanotta, Stefani. "Prime Rib of America." Don't Ask, Don't Tell rally. MTV.

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Oct 2012.

      

             

Simply Unbearable

Simply Unbearable

Natalie Mahomar

The problem with bullying continues all around America even today. Many people have taken action so that it may be controlled in schools and in homes. Even celebrities have taken the stand to fight for the enforcement of anti-bullying policies all around schools in America. Wherever bullying might be found it prevents children and teenagers from properly identifying themselves in the hardest moment of their development and growth as a human being. The main cause of bullying is the bully’s unawareness of the effects these acts have on the victim’s life. Most of the time the victims do not demonstrate that a bully is affecting them, so these acts keep going on until it is too late. Depression and death are the main effects of bullying on teenagers since they feel like it is not worth living any more. Many teenagers seem to underestimate the effects of mistreatment and harassment to others. This is why the best way to stop these acts is by spreading awareness to everyone with effective techniques that will cause an effect on people’s perspective on this problem.

          The role of people with authority in advertisements is the main influence in an audience’s response to a message. Ellen DeGeneres, one of the first celebrities to come out as homosexual, addresses the problem by sending out a message to all of her fans. As seen in her recognized TV show, “The Ellen Show,” people feel obligated to pay attention to a commercial or article if it includes or is created by someone recognized as a celebrity, politician, or someone of great 

influence. Other texts that address bullying as a widespread gruesome act are articles like “Gay Teen Bullied to the Point of Suicide” by Kenneth Miller. Miller writes on the struggles of bullying in schools and in homes towards gay teenagers. Images can also cause an impact on societies view of a matter like gay acceptance, for example an image of a celebrity advocating for a cause like Lady Gaga in the 2009 National Equality March. In her speech she gave in Washington D.C., Gaga really got the attention of her crowd and the media with her vigor and passion for the cause on equality for homosexual people in society. Discrimination because of appearance or sexual orientation are affecting teenagers and even adults to the point where influential people have had to get the word out for these cruel acts to stop.

It is evident that not much is being done to help teenagers who are bullied for their appearance or their sexual orientation. All around America it is noticeable that bullying is affecting teenagers and it seems as if leaders and parents are not conscious that this act is hurtful and damaging. Ellen DeGeneres spoke on this topic in her well-known television show and asserted that the root of this act is that bullying has become “an epidemic in this country.” Bullying seems to be going on everywhere we look and people do not seem to be care as if it was some kind of ordered behavior that everyone “has” to experience during their teen years. Similarly in his article, Kenneth Miller uses assertion by saying that “If bullying goes on, it creates a chaotic environment where no one can learn.” This assumption is supported with some real life stories of teenagers who have been bullied for being gay and have committed suicide. It also includes teenagers who were able to surpass the judgments and the oppression to have a normal life. In other cases for example, in the image demonstrating Lady Gaga in the Equality March in Washington D.C., a statement is printed out asking, “Are you listening? Full Equality for all.” This is the central thesis that this image is trying to illustrate as she yells this question out to President Barack Obama in her speech. Each of these texts uses assertion to make the audience believe the message they are trying to give out about the consequences and the rights that the victims should have.

            In the image that the online Be Chic Magazine displayed in the article, “I Want to Turn the World Gay,” it is evident that the framing of the picture gives some sort of higher position to Lady Gaga standing on the podium. Both the waving rainbow flag with the son in the background and her body language towards the crowd that we are not able to see, demonstrate the authority that Gaga has in this event. Not only does this image show how serious Gaga is about the matter, but it also gives the audience a sense of patriotism and freedom. Lady Gaga is dressed appropriately to this occasion and also uses formal language in her speech. By the way she expresses herself in her speech, we can observe that her attitude towards having equal rights for the gay community is very serious. In the same way Ellen is very serious in her tone and in her way of addressing her audience. The framing of the clip was very straightforward as she spoke with clarity and certainty.  Ellen looked straight into the camera to say her message to the crowd meanwhile Lady Gaga was talking to a huge crowd of people in Washington D.C. Surely, Ellen was more convincing in her message because she was talking directly to her audience and became very personal as she was talking to us. On the other hand Lady Gaga was very general and spoke politically on the topic about equality without using any stories or examples people could relate to. “We will continue to push you and your administration,” said Lady Gaga to President Barack Obama, “to bring your word of promise into a reality.” Miller also uses a political angle of vision in his article when he narrates the story where a principal at Omaha South High Magnet School advocates respect and freedom between the students. Miller states that, “As the Department of Education reminded schools in an October 26 letter, harassment of any kind is against federal civil rights law.” Miller not only communicates with his audience politically but also he directs himself to the families in the communities where gay intolerance is found. Teenagers feel more intimidated if they are bullied not only at school but at their homes as well. Therefore Miller proves his main points by presenting some stories where bullied teenagers seem to develop better if they accepted by their family members. One of the stories he mentions reports that, “At that point the Platas realized that a few hugs and words of support weren't going to cut it. Ed and Elizabeth joined a church with a more inclusive attitude. They eventually started a support group for local gay kids and another one for parents. And they became outspoken advocates for gay rights.” Parent’s acceptance is definitely a key factor into a gay teenagers mental and emotional development in his or her own home. As Ellen, Lady Gaga, and Miller attack the problem with bullying with a different angle of vision it is relatable between the three that this epidemic is a serious issue and should be treated immediately.

Miller made it evident in his article that a Zero-Tolerance Policy Plan against bullying must be enforced in schools. Miller uses emotional anecdotes as examples to support his previous statement for example, “Accepting the truth about E.J. was hard for Ed, an electrical contractor and ex-Marine from a blue-collar Mexican-American family. He'd been taught that homosexuality was an abomination. With Elizabeth and their six children, he attended a church that preached the same message. But he loved his son, whom he describes as gentle and artistic, and hated to see him suffer. When E.J. was 15, he asked his dad, "Am I going to hell?" Ed looked at the boy and said, "No way.” Ellen DeGeneres also begins her video with stories about children who committed suicide because no action was taken in his school and bullying lead them to this perplexing act. “Rutgers student 18 year-old Tyler Clementi took his own life last week by jumping off the George Washington Bridge after his roommate allegedly secretly filmed him in an encounter with another man.” This is one of the few stories Ellen mentions in her clip which is very effective in the way she begins her message with stories like in Miller’s article.

            The fact that these issues are coming across through famous modern celebrities into the public demonstrates how bullying is a problem everywhere in America.  The main problem with gay bullying is that they are being mistreated for their sexual preference instead of considering them as just regular people in our society today. Lady Gaga surely neglects people who are against homosexual marriage, which she considers as discrimination towards all people including her fans. In her speech she mentions that politicians have made promises to the gay community in their campaigns that equality will be brought into action. Having Lady Gaga yell out to the current president of the United States grabs the attention of an audience not only because she is talking about the president but because she is someone who is very involved in the gay community as an ally. In the same way Ellen uses a serious tone in in her message towards her fans and is seriously concerned about the number of suicides that are occurring because of bullying.

Certainly Ellen is being serious about this matter and using serious language since normally the audience identifies her as a comedian in her show. Likewise, Miller is serious and straightforward in his article revealing the experience of many families who have dealt with gay bullying and the impact that is has on teen’s lives. Miller firmly states, “For both liberal and conservative opponents of antigay bullying, it boils down to the issue of basic human dignity.” The fact that Miller brought up the human quality of dignity into his statement reveals the formal level and depth of what he means. His vocabulary causes people to reflect on their own values and how they should react to this problem. Miller quotes the director of Teaching Tolerance, Maureen Costello, “Expressing your opinions in a civil way, whether on homosexuality or any other issue, is a good place to start.” This makes people pause and think of the way they are to act in case they are having bully related situations in their life or even just to prepare for them if they appear in the future.

Lady Gaga is well known today by considerably most of the young generation today because of her success in the music industry as a pop singer. Most of her audience is adolescents who are gay or teens that are just into the newest pop music. However Miller, on the other hand, has an older audience of women who are probably mothers and are struggling with a child who might be gay or bullied. Similarly, housewives and the older generations mainly see Ellen’s TV show. Even so, Millers article is still lead towards a more political/religious older generation than Ellen’s spectators. Both Ellen and Lady Gaga have an audience that is very active in current situations about bullying and LGBT tolerance.

Bullying is considered an epidemic in our modern society that should be terminated by people setting an example to the younger generations. All of these texts tackle the issue of the bullying that occurs all around America in different ways. For example Lady Gaga and Miller talk politically on this topic, while Ellen DeGeneres uses emotional appeals to get to her audience. All of these texts are effective to grab the attention and cause an impact in someone’s perspective on gay bullying or simply just disrespect on someone for being different. In my opinion the most effective was Ellen by directing herself to her viewers as a real and emotional celebrity who wants this nonsense to stop. In general it is important to bring awareness to all of the people who can make a change into the schools and the communities so that bullying is stopped. Not only should awareness be given out, but also policies should be approved and enforced so that no one has to deal with being discriminated for who they are. Therefore, these texts prove that bullying does exist and people should not have to go through this unbearable mistreatment.   

Work Cited

An Important Message from Ellen About Bullying. Dir. TheEllenShow. Perf. Ellen DeGeneres. .     YouTube, 19 Oct. 2010. Web. 30 Oct. 2012. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBUMugqDRHg>.

Miller, Kenneth. “Gay Teens Bullied to the Point of Suicide.” Ladies Home Journal. The Meredith Corporations, 8 Feb. 2012. Web. 5 Sep. 2012

National Equality March Rally: Lady Gaga Speaks. Dir. Inlookingout. Perf. Lady Gaga.YouTube.           YouTube, 11 Oct. 2009. Web. 30 Oct. 2012. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRNsl_0AZOs>.

V., Camlyn. "I Want To Turn the World Gay." BeChicMag.com. N.p., 29 June 2010. Web. 30     Oct. 2012. <http://bechicmag.com/magazine/lifestyle/culture/gay-lady-gaga/>.