"I Am Woman, Hear Me Roar"

Natalie Polston

Dr. Brown

ENGL306

23 February 2016

“I Am Woman, Hear Me Roar”

            The year 1975 was met by the United Nations declaring it International Women’s Year, and its anthem: “I Am Woman.” Written and performed by Helen Reddy, the song serves as a marker of the development of Women’s Liberation (Women’s Lib) in the 1970s. While former movements focused on women’s voting rights and citizenship, 1970s feminism honed in on women’s rights over their bodies, equal pay, and similar issues. Much of the work of this movement needed to stem from awareness. This is why Helen Reddy’s classic song was well timed and well-said. Her anthem serves to prove the power of women not only in the music industry, but also on the world stage.

            Looking at women’s rights in the United States today, it may be difficult for some to believe that women were previously more oppressed than now. For example, contraception was once illegal. Progressions such as legalization of contraception were the result of tough fights fought by strong women. However, with fresh challenges and a remaining list of inequalities, the women of the 1970s were faced with unique and intimidating obstacles. Those who were part of Women’s Lib chose their first mode of action: to make others aware of the oppression that was still occurring. They set out to “[break] the silences which were so pervasive” (Stopper 75). If people could be aware of what was happening, they may be much more susceptible to joining the fight against it. Reddy’s goal of awareness is clear in the lyrics

I am woman, hear me roar
In numbers too big to ignore

And I know too much to go back an' pretend
'Cause I've heard it all before
And I've been down there on the floor
No one's ever gonna keep me down again.

Here, it’s clear that her conviction is that if everyone, particularly women, knew full what they were going through, they wouldn’t be able to go back to old ways. It’s evident that awareness is a large portion of the work this song sought to achieve.

            The 1970s were a time where women got a lot of attention—and that was no accident. With major court cases like Roe v. Wade taking place in the early 1970s, it makes sense that the United States would be more tuned in to the rights of women. “I Am Woman” gained its popularity just two years after the Roe v. Wade decision, while the country’s head was still turned in that direction. Reddy certainly utilized kairos in that her song fell on the world’s ears at the right moment in time. It was a song known to bring women “much needed clarity and inspiration” (Arrow 213). In a time where, even after much progress, women were still oppressed, “I Am Woman” catalyzed motivation to carry on.

            In past women’s movements, women have been forced to go against popular culture. Equality of women was not a popular idea, and therefore women had to step outside of culture in order to be heard. However, with mass media growing in the 1970s, along with it grew accessibility to new ideas. By and large, Women’s Lib tried to take hold of the media and “the rise of cultural studies from the late 1970s saw a less adversarial relationship develop between feminism and popular culture” (Arrow 215). By joining an already established institution of popular culture, Reddy utilized ethos. While mass media still enforced gender inequality, Reddy saw the power it had to influence minds.

            Though 1970s feminists were only beginning to take hold of some of the power encapsulated in mass media, this new mindset was severely underrepresented in music. According to Reddy, at the time there were no female empowerment songs. She commented, “I finally realized I was going to have to write the song myself because it simply didn’t exist. And that was the genesis of ‘I Am Woman’. It was my statement as a feminist” (Reddy, in Gaar 1992, 122). Not only was the song significant for Reddy personally, it stood as a reference point—breaking the ground for feminism to be represented in music. Even through her Grammy win, Helen Reddy stood tall as a “superstar and feminist” (Wells 1973, 25). She used her celebrity to grow her activism, rather than shrinking back for fear of reproach.

            The song’s lyrics are powerful and evocative. Riveting lines such as, “Oh yes I am wise, but it's wisdom born of pain,” are sentiments to which all women can relate. The song spoke for a national feeling had by women that hadn’t yet been articulated in music. The song utilizes pathos in both the lyrics and the music itself. Particularly enthralling are the last lines of the song: “I am invincible, I am strong, I am woman.” Words like these are utterly empowering, and show women in a different light. She reminded her audience that being a woman is something to be proud of—women are shrouded in this irrevocable strength and resilience. The music of the song grows as Reddy proudly belts, “I am woman, hear me roar.” The tune is simple, and the chorus is catchy as to be easily learned by any who listen.

Reddy effectively put feelings into words, because “for many women, listening to ‘I Am Woman’ was a way of connecting with some of the goals of feminism as they were articulated in popular culture, especially taking pride in womanliness, and female economic independence” (Arrow 223). In many cases, it gave women a new way to think about men, one another, and themselves (Arrow 226). In a cultural world where women’s voices were silenced frequently, “I Am Woman” was a banner and reference point—not only for women but also for men. It’s clear that her audience is broad when, in the song, she has a “long long way to go, until I make my brother understand.”

“I Am Woman” created and defined what was a feminist anthem. More than that, it was a source of simultaneous comfort and empowerment for women in the 1970s and beyond. In a time when women were denied of much, this song allowed them to celebrate the glory of being a woman, regardless of how she is treated. Yet in that, Reddy reminded women that they need not accept whatever treatment others give them—therefore spurring on the Women’s Liberation movement of the 1970s. She used a major part of culture to change the culture, at the opportune time, and with the most fitting words.

Works Cited

Arrow, Michelle. "‘It Has Become My Personal Anthem’." Australian Feminist Studies 22.53 (2007): 213-30. JSTOR. Web.

Sink, Nancy. "Women's Liberation Movement." Women's Liberation Movement. N.p., Dec. 2008. Web.

Stopper, Anne, and Marianne Hartigan. "The Catalyst for Women's Lib." Books Ireland 284 (2006): 75. JSTOR. Web.

Uber Fare Cuts Protest

Henry Laks

Dr. Brown

ENGL 306

October 23, 2015

                                                            Uber Fare Cuts Protest

            Today Uber is a highly valued independent contractor transportation platform, with a market value just over 60 billion (Balakrishnan, Anita).  Uber started its “tap a button” rider and driver platform in 2008.  Since its launch, it has steadily become more and more popular.  It has expanded immensely and is used all over the world.  Over the years, it has gained many supporters and advocates, but in the process Uber has also run into some disputes.  The subjects of these fights are too numerous to list.  However, they generally consist of accusations and attempts by groups to challenge Uber’s legality.  This paper is addressing one problem which recently surfaced after the newly emplaced fare cuts.  Some people speculate that these price cuts were introduced, because too many drivers have signed up for Uber.  It could be for a number of reasons but Uber says it will help “To attract more customers”.  Experienced Uber drivers are not pleased that they are getting paid less money than when they had first started. These protesters want to be compensated for their hard work, and they claim that they can’t make ends meet because of the fare cuts.  Both sides of this protest have valid points and goals, but ultimately the economy will be the determining factor in this protest.

Uber has been trying to convince drivers that everything will work out with the newly incorporate fare cuts, but working for less money initially enrages many Uber drivers.  On their own news website Uber has gone into detail explaining the logic behind the price cuts.  The title of this article is “Beating the Winter Slump — Price Cuts for Riders with Guaranteed Earnings for Drivers” (Uber Newsroom).  The title illuminates a lot of Uber’s perspective in this argument.  The winter months usually generates less business for drivers than the warmer months during the year.  Uber knows a lower price will be more appealing to customers and hopefully will bring in more of money during the cold months.  Uber is confident that enough people will come and get rides to where the drivers will see a boost in their pay.  To bring some more reassurance, Uber uses logos to its advantage, by showing readers some figures.  The figures show how well Chicago has done after the fare cuts from 2013-2014.  Chicago has had the most aggressive fare cuts of 23% but drivers are earning 12% more per hour, as a result (Zara: Uber Newsroom).  Fare cuts are a major move by Uber to eliminate competition with Lyft and other taxi services (Baldwin: Engadget).  Uber intends to eliminate competitors by choking them out with the lowest fare prices possible, but they offer their drivers a guaranteed price per hour. 

  Uber’s guaranteed per hour earning system offered to the drivers, is an attempt to try to make amends for the lower fare rates.  Protesters think this is a nasty move by Uber, because for them to qualify for this guarantee per hour pay they need to comply with “some changes”.  In the past drivers have had the option of using multiple apps or platforms, similar to Uber, to find people who need rides.  This guaranteed pay policy eliminates that freedom.  The policy forces people to solely rely on Uber for their pay and to work meet a tough rides quota.  The guarantee forces drivers to be extremely productive if they want to make anything like what they have in the past (Huet, Ellen).                   Roberto Baldwin wrote an article on a crowd of the “Uber Drivers United” group.  In early February they protested outside the Uber headquarters in San Francisco (Baldwin: Engadget).  The leader of the group “Mario”, his last name is not mentioned for privacy, had put together this gathering through a Youtube invitation.  He had been expecting 1500-2000 protesters to show up, but roughly 150 actually made an appearance at this meeting.      

In Mario’s speech he expresses his concern with Uber’s fare cuts.  They are making less than when they did when they first started driving for Uber.  They feel like Uber is ripping them off after they have loyally supported the company.  From Mario’s point of view, they are the reason Uber has done so well.  Many of the drivers came forward saying their pay was continuing to decrease, and they all agreed that the fare cuts were not bringing in more riders. 

During the speech Mario uses both pathos and logos to his advantage.  Mario’s message was purposefully spoken just outside of the Uber headquarters to inspire its followers, and to make sure Uber officials heard their complaints.  During his speech Mario pointed his megaphone directly at the building as he yelled, “Who made this company a $60 billion company? Drivers” (Baldwin: Engadget).  He got the crowd going by yelling into a megaphone that they “have them by the balls”, because he had been told that fare cuts would soon bring in only 50 cents per mile.  Mario claimed the fare cuts were going to take place right before the super bowl.  Mario also noted that he had tried to set up a meeting with the CEO of Uber, but Uber had never been responded back to him on that. 

            Right now is a key time for a leader to rise amongst transportation platforms.  The platform which is able to find the perfect balance between fare price and pay for drivers will win.  Uber by far has made the most money out of all the platforms, so in order for them hold this position they will do whatever supply and demand calls for, in this case it is decreasing the price for fares.  Protesters such as Mario are understandably upset about their pay going down.  Unfortunately, they will have to get use to the low fare prices until fares go back up again.  There really isn’t that much Uber can do to raise the pay unless they start firing drivers.  That is where as Adam smith put it “the invisible hand” comes into play.        

Works Cited:

 Balakrishnan, Anita. "Uber Taps Morgan Stanley Clients in Latest round." CNBC. CNBC, 11 Jan. 2016. Web. 24 Feb. 2016. <http://www.cnbc.com/2016/01/11/uber-seeks-new-funding-valuing-the-company-at-625b-sources.html>

Baldwin, Roberto. "Uber Drivers' Rates Protest Takes to the SF Streets." Engadget. Engadget, 02 Feb. 2016. Web. 24 Feb. 2016. <http://www.engadget.com/2016/02/02/uber-drivers-rates-protest-sf/>. 

Huet, Ellen. "Uber's Clever, Hidden Move: How Its Latest Fare Cuts Can Actually Lock In Its Drivers." <i>Forbes</i>. Forbes Magazine, 9 Jan. 2015. Web. 26 Feb. 2016. &lt;http://www.forbes.com/sites/ellenhuet/2015/01/09/ubers-clever-hidden-move-how-fare-cuts-actually-lock-in-its-drivers/#5a63ec972bd6&gt;. 

Zara. "Beating the Winter Slump - Price Cuts for Riders with Guaranteed Earnings for Drivers." Uber Global. Uber Newsroom, 08 Jan. 2015. Web. 24 Feb. 2016. <https://newsroom.uber.com/beating-the-winter-slump-price-cuts-for-riders-with-guaranteed-earnings-for-drivers/>. 

Rhetoric of Protest: Rough Draft

Julian Aronfeld

2/22/16

There's something happening here
But what it is ain't exactly clear
There's a man with a gun over there
Telling me I got to beware

I think it's time we stop
Children, what's that sound?
Everybody look - what's going down?

There's battle lines being drawn
Nobody's right if everybody's wrong
Young people speaking' their minds
Getting so much resistance from behind

            November 1966, the Sunset Strip Riots in Hollywood, California; young hippies butting heads with riot shields as celebrities are handcuffed just for protesting an unfair traffic law. Although the song “For What It’s Worth” by Buffalo Springfield is commonly mistaken as an anti-war song, protesting the war in Vietnam, the song is actually written based on the Sunset Strip Riots that occurred 1966 through 1970. The riots were started because of unfair traffic laws that had nothing to do with the ongoing war. Though the song doesn’t reflect the public’s feelings about the war directly, this song serves as a useful protest artifact which reflects the high tensions and emotions in the country during a time of war, and during a time when counter-culture had a lot of societal significance.

            “For What It’s Worth” is a song reflecting the side of the counter-culture. A very popular rock club in Hollywood called Pandora’s Box had closed down because residents and business owners living around the night club wanted a curfew and traffic blocks to stop the annoyance. Stephen Stills, writer of the song “For What It’s Worth”, had participated in the Sunset Strip Riots in 1966. His bias on the subject is obvious, given that he refused to call it a riot, and instead called it “’A funeral for Pandora’s Box’” and described it as “’Looking like a revolution’” (LA Times). The writer, and the band as a whole, identified itself with the counter-culture. The counter-culture was a revolutionary movement for youth in the 1960s and 1970s. It sparked an anti-government culture partially thanks to the baby-boom, which left youths marginalized and desperate for an identity, and partially thanks to the war in Vietnam, which left young people scared for their lives over an ideological difference that many of them felt apathetic toward in the first place. The tension grew as the generation grew older and more aware, as generations tend to do. Kennedy’s “liberal ideology” on foreign affairs was losing popularity, such as the “most urgent threat to [Capitalism] being Communism” and more importantly, the belief that it was “the duty of the US to bring [Capitalism] to the rest of the world” (Churney). The new liberal identity focused on anti-war and civil rights movements, and even shunned the evils and greediness of Capitalism. The song itself was written to help those who weren’t there visualize the riots, but that only scratches the surface of the song’s meaning. The listener is supposed to visualize the real tension in the air and the raw emotions felt. Hearing about it is obviously not the same as really being there; strong emotions felt by everyone there were the catalyst for the violence to escalate. It started with some small fights, and became a revolution, as protestors even attempted to tip a bus over. In fact, the song was first played on a one-time only re-opening of the night club, in front of an audience mostly comprised of those who participated in the riots (LA Times). Stills saw the embodiment of hippie counter-culture during the Sunset Strip Riots, the passion and need for change; he attempted to recreate that passion in his song, and show the world what it was really like to be a part of the revolution.

            Stephen Stills wanted to make a bold statement in his song “For What It’s Worth”. His attempt to recreate the passions felt during his participation in the Sunset Strip Riots is obvious when looking at the rhetorical strategies used in the song lyrics and music style. With context, it is obvious that the song is meant for the youth of America, as he describes the riots from a 2^nd person point of view. Stephen Stills’ use of visualization, 2^nd person, and vague language appeals to the youths in the counter-culture, by projecting strong emotions toward revolution he felt during the riots.

            Stills’ use of visualization is the backbone of the rhetorical strategies in his song, supplemented by his 2^nd person descriptions. He describes a scene of “A man with a gun…Battle lines being drawn…A thousand people in the streets” (Stills). These visualizations serve to make the listener picture all of the details of the riots, but also from his point of view. By using the words “here,” “over there,” and “you”, a new layer of description is added. The listener is no longer watching the riots happen, they are participating in them alongside the band. This is a very effective use of pathos through empathy triggering strong emotional connection. When he identifies the listener as a fellow revolutionary, he invites his audience to put themselves in his shoes and really watch the violence. This can evoke emotion, since the listener is now a part of the song. It is also helpful that Stills himself is part of the identity he projects onto his audience. It adds depth to his ethos for the audience because now he isn’t simply trustworthy because he was at the riots; he was there with you. You trust his word, because he had experienced the emotions he is making you feel. An example of an emotion he wants his listener to feel, more prominent that anything else, is a sense of confusion. He achieved this end rather well with his use of vague language. The listener is thrown into a situation where “Something’s happening here/But what it is ain’t exactly clear”, and confusion sets in right off the get-go (Stills). Confusion is a strong emotion, because it catalyzes other feelings for people. Depending on the situation, confusion can become fear, frustration, excitement, hysteria, or any combination of these emotions. When thrown in with large crowds and police intervention, it becomes much clearer why the riots broke out into such a display of violence and hysteria. Throughout the song, his language conveys confusion, like urging listeners to “Stop children/What’s that sound? /Everybody look-what’s going down?”  (Stills). He is asking the audience if they know what is going on, even though they obviously don’t, which is supposed to create a sense of confusion for the listener. A young protestor knows the feeling of fear and confusion, so his audience is reached very well simply through the rhetorical strategies used. Logic is not really a part of his purpose, so Logos is hard to be found in this song. Logic doesn’t have a place in riots and counter-culture, and certainly doesn’t have a place in strong emotional response.

Rhetorically, Stills used rhetorical strategies very well; he created an aura of confusion and excitement, and threw the listener in without warning. Historically, the song serves as an icon for 1960s counter-culture, protest ideology, and anti-establishment. It holds the #63 spot on the Rolling Stone’s “500 Greatest Songs of All Time” and is used commonly to represent 1960s culture, such as the movie “Forrest Gump”. Stills wrote a strong piece that artistically captured a moment in time when he felt confused and fearful; when a peaceful event in memoriam of a popular club quickly became anarchy.

           

Works Cited

Rasmussen, Cecilia. “Closing of club ignited the ‘Sunset Strip Riots’” Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times Publisher 5, Aug. 2007. Web. http://articles.latimes.com/2007/aug/05/local/me-then5

Churney, Linda. “Student Protest in the 1960s” Yale University Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute. 2016. Web. http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/1979/2/79.02.03.x.html

Stills, Stephen. For What It's Worth. Buffalo Springfield. Atco Producers, 1967.

Perez RAP draft

Brenda Perez

Dr. Steph Brown

English 306; Advanced Composition: Protest Rhetoric, Performance, and Identity

23 February 2016

Self-Immolation of Thich Quang Duc as Protest

(Browne)

On June 11, 1963, Buddhist monk Thich Quang Duc set himself on fire in a public demonstration in protest of President Ngo Dinh Diem’s discriminatory policies against Buddhists in Vietnam. Michael Biggs defines self-immolation as an act of life sacrifice that is for the good of a greater cause; it can be an act of protest in at least one of two ways--it can either be performed in public, or there must be a letter addressed to a figure of authority. Thich Quan Duc did both. Part of his letter to the president read, “Before closing my eyes to Buddha, I have the honor to present my words to President Diem, asking him to be kind and tolerant towards his people and enforce a policy of religious equality” (Biggs).

Thich Quang Duc’s self-immolation was a severe act of protest. He displayed use of ethos in a couple of ways. By examining the photograph of Thich Quang Duc’s flame-engulfed body, one can see that even though his body and flesh are burning, he remains apparently unmoved, both in his physicality and in his emotions. One does not have to know much about the extent of Thich Quang Duc’s religious training to see that he has a grasp on Buddhist principles. His display of stillness serves as a demonstration of practices gained through his religion and training as a monk. People can infer he is a monk because he wears a cloak, and also because he is in a deeply meditative state. He is able to remain calm and collected as he dies, what appears to be, an excruciating death. The act of ending his life also defies the authority of his government. It takes away the president’s control over him. It is a rejection of any potential threats the government might direct toward him, which means that by lighting himself on fire, it is not only his life that ends, but also any ties he had with the government. It is a powerful rhetorical move because he defies the influence of the president through a display of skills obtained through the very religious practices that the president was trying to eliminate.

The use of ethos does not end there. One must also take into consideration that Thich Quang Duc’s death was an act of martyrdom. He chooses death if it has a chance of securing the religious freedom of the Buddhists in Vietnam. On one hand, he shows mastery of the Buddhist practice of meditation, but on the other hand, he shows knowledge of Christianity. Thich Quang Duc protests against President Diem’s unfair treatment of non-Catholics in a way that would evoke the sentiment of hypocrisy because Christians believe that Jesus died for the salvation of mankind. Although Thich Quang Duc does not claim any divine ties, the act of martyrdom alone beckons the actions of Christ. Also, the letter addressed to President Diem is nonviolent and free of threats. His letter asks only for the president’s kindness and tolerance towards Buddhists, as well as religious equality (Biggs). Interestingly enough, kindness and tolerance are virtues of Christianity. President Diem is presented with a difficult situation if his main objective is to elevate the status of Catholics, given that Thich Quang Duc not only wrote to him peacefully, but also chose to die in order to save his people, much like Jesus did.

Self-immolation is an act that also appeals to emotions. Grief and mourning are emotions that run deep and really get to the core of the human experience, mainly because they remind people of death. Fire also has a symbolic meaning of passion. Choosing to die in a fire could inspire outrage and grief. Feelings of intense seriousness are aroused if someone choses to die in such a heinous way. This death is disgusting because burning to death is painful. Disgust and sadness, combined with distress, can be a potent mix of emotions. Michael Biggs quotes David Halberstam, a journalist who witnessed the action:

Flames were coming from a human being; his body was slowly withering and shriveling up, his head blackening and charring. In the air was the smell of burning flesh . . . Behind me I could hear the sobbing of the Vietnamese who were now gathering. I was too shocked to cry, too confused to take notes or ask questions, too bewildered to even think. (Biggs)

For the people who witness Thich Quang Duc’s death, the appeal to emotions is even greater. They can smell his burning body and also see it shrivel. Their disgust is experienced through most of the senses. Another important emotion that validates the self-immolation is faith in both Buddhism and in that Thich Quang Duc’s message was genuine. Thich Quang Duc would not be alive to see the outcomes of his protest, so it would not make any sense for people to doubt his intentions.

The use of kairos was probably one of the most characteristics of Thich Quang Duc’s demonstration because without it, his death would have been in vain. It was important for people to see such a death take place and for journalists to be there to capture the moment. In this sense, context is everything. With the amount of exposure that the self-immolation generated, it would not have been in the best interest of President Diem to ignore Thich Quang Duc’s message. Thich Quang Duc makes a very compelling case that has a lot of people to bear witness to the death that he accepted for himself.

The self-immolation of Thich Quang Duc was the ultimate form of protest. It displayed his mastery of Buddhist meditation and understanding of Christian beliefs. He also demonstrated his autonomy of the government through this action. The spectacle and emotions his actions generated were an impactful way for him to communicate his message of the importance of religious equality.

Works Cited

Biggs, Michael, and Diego Gambetta. “Dying Without Killing: Self-Immolations, 1963-2002” Making

Sense of Suicide Missions. Oxford UP, 2005. Web.

Browne, Malcolm. 1963. Saigon.

Who Run The World? Girls!

Tiara Bertram

Dr. Brown

ENGL 306

23 February 2016

It’s no secret that women, even in the modern era, are still oppressed. Feminism is known for being associated with liberal, radical man-hating, but in reality, it’s about embracing women as multidimensional human beings and giving them equal power and recognition in all spheres of life. In a world that constantly reduces women to making sandwiches in the kitchen, feminists stand up and proclaim that women are awesome. Beyoncé is one of those feminists, and she has made said proclamation with the release of her song and music video, “Run the World (Girls)” in protest to the patriarchy. This song explicitly states “Who runs the world?/Girls! Girls!” The empowerment message is pretty direct, because one can’t help but contrast it with the current patriarchal power systems in place. For example, roughly 50.8% of the United States population is female (census.gov) but only 19.4% of all of the seats of the United States Congress are women (CAWP Rutgers).

As an object of protest, the song/video has a dual purpose depending on who is consuming it. For female viewers and listeners, it’s declaring that we have far more power than the patriarchal societies that we live in indicate that we do.  For male viewers and listeners, it’s demanding that they recognize how much women are devalued when we are capable of anything and, furthermore, are really the source of grunt work behind many functions that are experienced globally, from raising a family to running a business as an executive: hence, the mantra of “who run the world?” repeated through the song.

Beyonce’s audience is far and wide. As a mainstream American popular R&B artist, she has an international reach for the people who would be listening to her music. While men also hear her music both voluntarily and involuntarily, her audience is primarily female, and her target audience therefore would be females who probably identify or at least agree with feminist ideals.

            An underlying and poorly indicated goal of “Run The World (Girls)” is for men to join in this fight for gender equality. She calls out “To all the men that respect what I do please accept my shine,” in the second verse, as a quick nod to let them know she doesn’t mean to hate on all men (just the ones who don’t respect what she does). Visually, she has two male back-up dancers in the first minute and a half of the video, reverse-flanking Beyoncé in the first refrain and part of the first verse. These two men are dressed in all black with leather vests, red cloth turban caps, yellow rope necklaces, and red sashes as belts. They are symbolic of an alliance between the genders, that it’s not just women who are fighting for gender justice.

Thesis: Beyoncé's purpose in releasing this song and video is for women of all backgrounds to unashamedly claim their power, and she does this by relying most heavily on pathos, but also through ethos and logos.

Most of the pathos can be found in the video more than the song. The video starts with scenery that looks like it could be a war zone, open dusty spaces strewn with junk, a fire in an industrial trashcan, the shadowy silhouette of a chaotic crowd of women running by each other, Beyoncé on a rearing black horse. The army of men is dressed as we would expect to see a militia, with dark uniforms, helmets, nightsticks, and riot shields. The woman army (which includes women of every nationality and ethnicity, to promote a global feminism of ALL women fighting for their rights) is dressed in military caps, black bras under black leather studded vests and jackets, and drape-like sashes and skirts in a variety of colors, carrying red flags, reminiscent of a sexy rebel army. This incites a feeling of intensity and admiration of these femme-fatale warriors fighting for gender equality, making the video effective.

She also uses pathos in how the song is composed and performed. There is a lot of heavy percussion, and the refrain is more shouted than sung. This tone of determination bordering on anger gives the song an in-your-face quality of a street protest, and was actually noted for not being done in the typical pop song style that’s suited for the clubs where a lot of Beyonce’s music is disbursed (CNN).

Most of the ethos from this song comes from the fact that it’s a Beyoncé song. She’s a well-developed icon of American pop culture, and specifically as woman-empowerment singer (with past songs including “Single Ladies” “Diva” “Upgrade U” and the Destiny’s Child hit “Independent Woman”) by the time this song released. In the song, she states she’s “reppin’ for the girls who takin’ over the world”. She is a performer, business woman, currently a mom (although not at the time this song was released) and multi-millionaire, also allowing her to declare herself as a leader. In the video, most of her positioning centers her as the leader of the female revolutionaries, highlighted by her brilliant blond hair flowing in the wind, and she snatches the badge off of the male leader and places it on herself.

Logos is a bit lacking in this particular song. Many of the lyrics are done like traditional rap hype, in slang and the messages aren’t always direct in the message. Some of the lyrics account for the accomplishments of women: “help me raise a glass for the college grads” while others are more about the sheer resilient awesomeness of women: “we smart enough to make these millions/strong enough to bear the children, then get back to business” which seems to point towards working mothers. But with the exception of those few lines, plus the incessant pulsating chant-like refrain, logos is not the primary strategy used by Beyoncé for her protest.

As far as achieving her purpose, Beyoncé has received a lot of pushback from this song being an anthem of modern feminism. A lot of what she intended with the visuals in particular could still be perceived as restrictive and even oppressive to women. One of the biggest controversies comes from the subliminal messaging in having the women scantily dressed, and with lyrics like “boy you love it” “hope you still like me” and “endless power with our love we can devour/you’ll do anything for me” indicates that women get their power from their sexuality, or from the fact that men sexualize them and are persuaded by means other than reasoning, and reducing the intellectual power of the college grads she just raised her glass to. It’s important to realize, however, that the primary purpose of any pop song is simply to gain listeners, and since the most repetitive part of the song is the part most remembered, the beginnings of a feminist mindset, stating that “girls run the world” is basically a positive thing for the feminist movement.

Lyrics from beyonce.com:

Girls, we run this mutha, yeah (x3)


Girls, we run this mutha, girls 


Who run the world, girls, (x4)


Who run this mutha, girls, (x4)


Who run the world, girls (x4)


Some of them men think they freak this like we do but no they don’t 


Make yo check come at they neck, disrespect us no they won’t


Boy don’t even try to touch this, boy this beat is crazy


This is how they made me, houston texas baby



This goes out to all my girls that’s in the club rockin’ the latest


Who will buy it for themselves and get more money later


I think i need a barber, none of these can fade me 


I’m so good with this, i remind you i'm so hood with this



Boy i’m just playin’
come here baby 


Hope you still like me
f u pay me



My persuasion can build a nation


 Endless power with our love we can devour


You'll do anything for me



Who run the world, girls (x5) 


Who run this mutha, girls (x4)


Who run the world, girls (x4)



It's hot up in here dj don’t be scared to run this run this back 


I'm reppin’ for the girls who takin’ over the world
help me raise a glass for the college grads



41 rollin’ to let you know what time it is, check


You can’t hold me i work my 9 to 5 betta cut my check


This goes out to all the women gettin’ it in you on yo grind 


To all the men that respect what i do please accept my shine


Boy you know you love it how we smart enough to make these millions,

Strong enough to bare the children, then get back to business



See, you better not play me
oh come here baby


Hope you still like me
f u pay me



My persuasion can build a nation


En dless power with our love we can devour


You'll do anything for me



Who run the world, girls (x5) 


Who run this mutha, girls (x4)


 Who run the world, girls (x4)



Who are we, what we run, the world
 who run this mutha, yeah 


Who are we, what we run, the world
 who run this mutha, yeah


Who are we, what do we run, we run the world
 who run this mutha, yeah


Who are we, what we run, we run the world 


Who run the world....girls

Works Cited

beyonceVEVO. “Run the World (Girls).” Music Video. Youtube. Youtube, 18 May 2011. Web.              8 February 2016.

Dinh, James "Beyoncé's 'Run The World (Girls)' To Hit Radio, iTunes Thursday". MTV News.                 MTV Networks. 21 April 2011. Web. 8 February 2016.

Apartheid Rough Draft

Andrew Koleski

2/23/16

Rough Draft

Dr. Brown

“Anti-Apartheid Movement” Poster

 

At the top of the page is a poster made by the “Anti-Apartheid Movement”, a group based in the U.K. dedicated to raising awareness of apartheid in South Africa. More specifically, this group is using the object to protest The 1967 Terrorism Act. This piece of legislation gave the authorities the power to “detain people indefinitely without disclosing where they were being held” (Michigan State University) Using pathos, logos, and ethos, this poster demonstrates to its audience how vital it is to help the “Anti-Apartheid Movement” so they can stop the system of racism in South Africa.

Throughout history, there have been many examples of injustice in the world. Many things can spring to mind once the word “injustice” is said, such as slavery, war, murder, etc. However, none of those words seems to be conjoined with “injustice” quite like racism. For many people, especially in the United States, is seen as a great evil that still persists today, whether it is a part of police brutality, or preconceived notions of different races. In fact, as recent as 2015, nearly half the population of the country “say racism is a big problem in society today.” (Soichet) However, the United States is not the only country to experience racism, and a sad example of this can be found in the history of apartheid in South Africa.

A definition of apartheid could go something like this: It was a system of racial segregation, and “political and economic discrimination” against those that were not of European descent (Webster), even though the majority of those living in South Africa were black. (Stanford)  This system was adopted nationwide in 1948, when the National Party took control of the country. (BBC News) For the next 80 plus years, the country operated under a system of apartheid. Throughout this time, the government cracked down on protesters and opposing parties and other leaders, such as Nelson Mandela, were jailed. (BBC News) Eventually, Mandela was released and later elected leader of South Africa. (BBC News) However, that does not excuse the shameful history of apartheid in South Africa.

A strategy used in the object would definitely be pathos. Since the group knows that corruption and abuse of power stirs strong feelings in people, the poster wastes little time in attempting to shape the public’s perception of the policeman shown in the photo. “…He can question them in secret for as long as he likes…” (Michigan State University) the caption on the photo says. With this sentence, the poster is trying to convince the audience that 1.) The policeman is up to no good and that 2.) This particular policeman would have no problem abusing his power. This second point is driven home by what is said after the first quote: “…And cannot be forced to account for any of his actions.” (Michigan State University) With that statement, the poster is letting the audience know that if they don’t do something quick, this evil man will “get away with it”.

However, the object at hand does not only use pathos but logos as well. It does this by appealing to the audiences reasoning, more specifically in relation the job of a policemen. For many people, the police are meant to protect and take of their citizens. Make sure everybody is safe, stop criminals from stealing, calming down people and deescalating situations. How strange then, that this particular person is not referred to as a policeman once in the entire caption. Instead, the poster refers to his as a “versatile gentleman” that “with his many colleagues, arrests around 3,000 Africans every day”. (Michigan State University) This quote could make the audience do a double take and ask themselves questions, such as what makes this man so versatile? Why has the author used this word? Is it a bad thing? Further down, though, is where the audience may really start to think about what is going on, and might begin to question the policeman’s authority through reasoning and logic. If he is a policeman, why is he traveling in a group with colleagues? Shouldn’t he be able to do his job alone? Also, why is he arresting 3,000 people a day? Isn’t that too much? The strongest use of logos, however, comes when the poster states “…at least 15 people have died under his ‘questioning’ (Michigan State University) in the past several years. Surely, a policeman doing routine questioning shouldn’t be killing anyone? It’s moments like this, as well as the others, where the object is attempting to shape the audience’s opinion through logos.

Though it may not seem like it at first, along with its appeal to emotion, reason. Logic, rationality, & evidence, the poster also uses ethos to some degree. While it may seem to be criticizing authority itself, one way to interpret the object would be to say it simply replaces one type of authority with another. In the poster, as mentioned before, a policeman is pictured while an unflattering characterization is made by a caption next to him. However, without the authority of the police to relay on the poster addresses its audience directly by telling them what has happened, and what to do about it; “This is South Africa’s police state. This is how apartheid is enforced. Help us work toward ending it. Join the Anti-Apartheid Movement” (Michigan State University) Having said this, the poster seems to leave all of the power, and authority, in the hands of the audience. With injustice rampant in South Africa, and a police force not to be trusted, it is up to them, and those that have been informed of the situation, to join the movement that will help end apartheid in the African country.

Apartheid was a shameful time in history for South Africa and its people, much like segregation and racism in recent American history. However, it is important to note that in time of frustration, hatred, and bigotry there was always those ready to fight it. In the poster, the “Anti-Apartheid movement successfully used the rhetorical strategies of pathos, logos, and ethos to sway their audience into  not only thinking about the injustice of apartheid, but perhaps a way to end it.

Works Cited

Michigan State University “A South African Policement, Judge, and Executioner:." African Activist Archive. Michigan State University, n.d. Web. 08 Feb. 2016.

Soichet, Catherine E. "Racism Is a 'big Problem' to More Americans, Poll Finds." CNN. Cable News Network, 25 Nov. 2015. Web. 24 Feb. 2016.

BBC News "South Africa Profile - Timeline - BBC News." BBC News. BBC, 25 June 2015. Web. 24 Feb. 2016.

Stanford "The History of Apartheid in South Africa." Students.standford.edu. Stanford, n.d. Web. 24 Feb. 2016.

Webster "Apartheid / Definition of Apartheid." Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 24 Feb. 2016.