Research Paper Assignment

“A Call to Action: Regulate Use of Cell Phones on the Road” emphasizes greatly the risks of cell phone use while driving and advocates strongly for laws regulating and punishing cell phone use on the road. It starts off with three stories of innocent people killed by irresponsible drivers who were on their cell phones. The paper cites many attempts by state governments to pass legislation regarding cell phone use on the road, but no successful attempts. The writer says that twenty other countries have already passed strict laws about driving while on a cell phone, as early as 2000. However, as the paper goes on to say, road safety is left up to states to legislate, and many of them are not doing their job to protect people against such reckless driving. The author of the paper demands a push to pass such legislation, and soon, to make people realize that what they are doing is wrong.

 

This paper is very effective in providing information about the use of cell phones while driving. It starts out with some pathos-evoking stories of people whose lives have been compromised by this problem. The writer then provides statistics, such as this one: “Between 450 and 1000 accidents a year are caused by cell phones.” These statistics are a reality check for readers who might not have imagined such damage from what many people see as such a small offense. Then the writer moves on to legislation and uses a lot of logos to communicate how ineffective traffic laws are at enforcing cell phone use. She also uses ethos by citing quotes from important people, such as a spokesperson for Verizon wireless. All in all, this paper is very effective in getting its point across and inspiring guilt in any person who has looked down at their phone while driving. It inspires me to action, and even though I don’t have a strong say in legislation, I can do my part by not engaging in my cell phone while on the road…unless I’m in the passenger’s seat.

Mr. Rogers

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/wayoflife/07/28/mf.mrrogers.neighbor/index.html

I just read an article comprised of a list of fifteen things that make Mr. Rogers “the best neighbor ever.” This includes many anecdotes about his personal life and his ideology, as well as interesting facts. For instance, Mr. Rogers saved television and VCR by going to Congress and presenting a five minute appeal about “how TV had the potential to give kids hope and create more productive citizens.” He also stopped them from outlawing the recording of television shows because he maintained that recording shows and saving them for later was effective in making families sit down and watch shows together. Furthermore, he personally composed every song on his show. Every single sweater he wore on the show was hand-knitted by his grandmother. He reported his car as stolen once, and the media got ahold of the information and told everyone, and two hours later his car was parked in the same spot with an apology note from the thieves, saying they would never have taken it if they had known it was his.

This article is obviously high in pathos, creating great feelings of love for Mr. Rogers and his work, but it also has a surprising amount of ethos. The list is comprised mostly of real accounts from real people. To prove his niceness to human beings, #6 includes a story of a time that he was driven in a limo with his wife to a fancy party at the PBS executive’s house. When he realized that the limo driver would have to sit outside and wait for him for two hours, he invited him into the party. On the way back, he sat up front and talked to the driver, learning that they were just about to pass his home. Mr. Rogers asked to driver to stop so that he could meet his family, and he stayed for a long enchanting evening, getting to know the family and playing jazz piano for them. The limo driver said it was the best night of his life. Mr. Rogers stayed in correspondence with the driver for the rest of his life. This is a highly pathos-ethos combined story that proves Mr. Rogers’s kindness and his compassion for other human beings. The article is delicately comprised of pathos, ethos, and logos to make Mr. Rogers out to be a deeply good person.

Controversy Within Occupy Wall Street

http://news.salon.com/2011/11/01/security_problems_grow_at_occupy_wall_street/

 

Homeless people and derelicts are growing in numbers within the occupy wall street (Zuccotti) park. One woman said that they only show up for food and company, and that they have no concern for the cause at all. One woman said that many of them are clearly mentally deranged and could use some real help elsewhere. However, at the moment, the vast homeless population of NYC are eating up resources such as food, sleeping bags, and tents, without really being committed to the cause. This seems to annoy lots of the dedicated protesters who have been out there, marching every day and sleeping in the cold at night.

 

I think it is their right to be indignant that people are squatting and slowing the protesters down. We have institutions in this country that are supposed to take care of unfortunate people like this. However, there was a rumor going around that the NYPD has been encouraging homeless people from all over the city to flock to Zuccotti, assuring them that there is food and warmth there. This article has a strong undertone of anger and ambivalence. The protesters are angry because the uninvited guests are impeding upon their activism. I assume they are also very ambivalent as well, because the homeless are people that we share a lot in common with and who could also benefit from this protest. They just don’t have the fervor that the “middle class” citizens do because they have hit rock bottom and things never got better  for them. Could there be a way for the middle class and the impoverished to unite for their rights? As this article suggests, no such thing is happening soon. One might even say that we are seeing a different type of class conflict, not between upper and middle, but between middle and lowest.