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Britton Sherman
Professor Mahoney
Intermediate Composition
23 May 2018
Gun Control in America

Columbine. It’s a word that evokes fear, grief, and anger. It’s also a word that

divided a nation. The highly publicized school shooting began a heated debate on gun

control in America that’s been burning ever since. The second amendment gives the

constitutional right for citizens to own and carry weapons, but there are many that

question whether that amendment should stand. It’s such a momentous issue that it’s

mentioned in almost every genre of writing, each with its own way of approaching it.

Letters to congressmen or government have historically been the rhetorical

method of convincing others on their views for gun control. They are a direct, one on

one way of communication that allows the writer express concerns and influence the

ways laws are written. Op-ed articles are very popular as well. These can be featured in

journals or through news outlets and appeal to a much larger audience. With the advent

of social media, many are taking to the internet to talk about gun control. YouTube

provides a rhetorical platform for personal sentiments all the way to professionally

created web series. Music is a huge influence in American culture and many

songwriters have addressed gun control or violence. Hits like the Beatles’ “Happiness is

a Warm Gun”, Aerosmith’s “Janie’s Got a Gun”, and Foster the People’s “Pumped Up

Kicks” are all about the artists’ views on gun culture. Gun control has become so

pervasive that even comedians like Jim Jefferies are writing sketches about it. By

understanding the rhetorical situations these messages are placed in, a broader view of

the issue emerges.

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BigThink, a website dedicated to education and sharing information, published

letters from two individuals writing to Obama about gun control. Personal letters are not

typically published for a broader audience, but they give insight to the differences in a

more discrete writing style. In this situation, the authors’ audience is clear; they are

writing to the president in hopes of affecting the policies and laws put into place. The

first author is against gun control. His purpose is to persuade to prevent more restrictive

gun laws and presents a narrative of his own morals and values. He relies heavily on

the use of pathos to evoke empathy:

Like millions of my fellow Americans, I am afraid. I am afraid of the seemingly

endless ways the government tells me what I can and can’t do. I am afraid of the

increasingly frequent ways that, in the name of "government" and "democracy," it

feels like the religious beliefs and moral values I share with millions of Americans

are being trampled on. (Ropeik, et al.)

Later, he uses a touch of logos when he states how unlikely is it to become a victim of

gun violence (Ropeik et al.). One downfall the author has is he cannot rely on ethos in

the letter. He is simply a citizen stating his own opinion and has no sources or credibility

to persuade further.

The second author immediately begins with pathos, echoing the first author in his

sentiment:

I’m afraid. I’m afraid when I think about my kids in school. I’m afraid when I go to

a store and see someone with a handgun on their waist that it seems like

anybody could grab. I’m afraid when I read about the latest shooting. I’m afraid I

might be shot and killed. (Ropeik, et al.)

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He also has the same problem as the first author, relying almost entirely on pathos for

his appeal. Because of this, sources are not important since there are no statistics or

facts to state. Design also isn’t relevant because the letters were reposted on the

internet. Both maintain a frank tone in style, as they are addressing the president on an

important issue to them. It’s interesting to see how when the medium is a personal

letter, both authors are far more emotional and candid than some other written modes

allow.

Op-ed is also a useful rhetorical situation to address serious issues. They reach

a much larger audience, and many are featured on news websites with thousands or

millions of readers. Fox News published an op-ed on gun control written by John R. Lott

titled “Media portrayal of gun ownership is inaccurate and biased.” It reads much like the

genre convention of a news article. It begins with a lead paragraph and addresses the

most persuading information first. Short, concise paragraphs are used to keep readers

focused. However, while most news articles try to stay neutral, his is intended to be

biased. His purpose is to persuade his audience. Mainly, that’s the average Fox News

reader but with the medium being a written digital article, it has the potential to reach

anyone using a search engine or browsing the website.

Mr. Lott’s writing style goes two ways. He maintains a serious tone but uses

sarcastic jabs to get his point across:

Do people really think that a group of paid, professional killers couldn’t find some

way to get guns into a hospital, a school or some other place just because a sign

is posted saying guns are not allowed? There’s no mention that over 98 percent
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of mass public shootings since 1950 have occurred in places where guns are

banned. This is precisely because criminals prefer unarmed victims. (Lott)

Here he uses ethos and logos as his rhetorical appeal. By first appealing to emotion and

following up with statistics, his argument becomes more persuasive. Fox News adds a

footnote at the bottom stating Mr. Lott “is an economist and was formerly chief

economist at the United States Sentencing Commission. He is also a leading expert on

guns and op-eds on that issue are done in conjunction with the Crime Prevention

Research Center” (Lott). This adds the appeal of ethos by showing he is a credible,

knowledgeable source.

There are quotes and sources referenced throughout the article. Unfortunately,

all his sources, including statistical data, come from his own corporation, the Crime

Prevention Research Center. This takes away from his trustworthiness. He uses links to

cite each source so it’s easy to navigate each. The design of the article follows the

format of a typical news outlet article. An image is prominently displayed before the

article, a byline is included, and an easy to read san-serif typeface is used.

The third genre doesn’t fit neatly into a category. YouTube is technically a genre

convention by itself but hosts all kinds of videos that fall into different rhetorical

situations. Jubilee, a social media publisher, uses YouTube to post videos on ethical

issues and social trends. In their web series Middle Ground, a group of anti-gun control

advocates and pro-gun control advocates sit down to discuss their opposing viewpoints.

The video, titled “Pro-Gun Vs. Anti-Gun: Is There Middle Ground?”, demonstrates how

people can use their own rhetorical situations and appeals towards an issue. YouTube

has over one billion unique users, so the audience of the video is very broad, but it’s
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likely aimed at subscribers to the channel or people searching for gun control. The use

of a visual mode and a digital film media makes it easily accessible and captivating.

The purpose of the video for the viewer is to present a narrative of both sides and

persuade viewers to consider other opinions, regardless of the topic. It’s also meant to

inform those who aren’t well versed on the issue of the conflicts surrounding it. Each

group tries to change the perspective of the other using rhetorical appeals. One pro-gun

supporter tells the others that he grew up in a bad neighborhood and sometimes a gun

is the only way to protect yourself. He says, “on my side of the Earth, there are no gun

laws” (Jubilee). This is a strong use of pathos influenced by logos. He’s appealing to

empathy by sharing his upbringing while also using the logic that many gun related

crimes happen in poor communities.

When one of the anti-gun group members speaks, he asks both sides if they

would be willing to go through the same process to buy a gun as they do for an

automobile – education, testing, and licensing. He asks if there was a way to decrease

the number of guns, increase education, and not hurt legal access to guns, would

everyone be willing to talk about it (Jubilee). His use of pathos is very effective by

asking questions constructed to make the listener stop and consider what he is saying.

Because the video features an open-ended conversation, the style is informal but

pensive. No sources were used as people were casually discussing the issue. The set

design was executed well, taking place in a large warehouse with two light beams

separating each group and a round arrangement of chairs for discussion.

Then we come to music. Music is one of the most influential ways to tell a story

or share a perspective. It’s a unique rhetorical situation because it uses an audio

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medium along with written lyrics to give perspective. In 2011, the indie band Foster the

People released their pop album Torches. It reached number 8 on the Billboard 200 and

many of the singles became hits. One of those singles, “Pumped Up Kicks”, was the

band’s reflection on gun violence in America. The song’s first verse starts with the lyrics

“Robert's got a quick hand...he found a six-shooter gun in his dad's closet hidden in a

box of fun things” (Foster the People). The catchy chorus follows with:

All the other kids with the pumped-up kicks

You better run, better run, outrun my gun

All the other kids with the pumped-up kicks

You better run, better run, faster than my bullet (Foster the People)

These lyrics seem flippant towards the issue but brings us to the artist’s style. The band

is known for having marketable pop songs that appeal to a younger audience and are

easily playable by radio stations. Additionally, it may be that they decided to use a

nonchalant attitude towards gun violence because school shootings have become so

frequent that they’re almost nonchalant news.

The purpose is present a narrative of a potential school shooter. It’s clear that the

primary rhetorical appeal of the song is pathos. The song evokes both positive emotions

from the melody and negative from the message. Their appeal is through visualization –

most everyone can imagine a teenage boy perusing for something in a closet, looking in

a shoebox or bin, and discovering a gun. This leads the listener to imagine an angsty

teenager deciding to use it against his peers. It also sends a message on how easy it is

for teens to obtain weapons.

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And finally, comedy. Serious topics are often taboo to discuss without expecting

debate or controversy. Comedy alleviates these boundaries by allowing the listener to

relax and have fun while being persuaded. Jim Jefferies is a great example of this when

he addresses gun control in his 2014 stand up performance, “Bare”. His audience

comprises of the attendees of his performance at the Wilbur Theater in Boston, but his

primary audience is those who view or listen to the recorded performance. This includes

Netflix subscribers, YouTube viewers, and music programs such as Spotify. By using the

mode of visual and audio and the media of film, he can target a larger audience.

Jim’s purpose is to persuade others on his views for gun control and make

people laugh. He begins with logos, stating that Port Arthur, Australia had the biggest

massacre in history and the government decided to ban guns. Before this, the country

had 10 massacres in 10 years, but none occurred after the ban (Jefferies). He then

goes on using pathos. He jokes that pro-gun supporters’ common excuse is “’I need (a

gun) for protection. I need to protect me, and I need to protect my family’. Really? Is that

why they’re called assault rifles?”. He follows up with people fearing their home will be

broken into, saying, “Most people who are breaking into your house just want your TV!

You think that people are coming to murder your family? How many enemies do you

have?” (Jefferies). Logos is used when he cites facts, such as the argument that only

criminals will have guns if there’s a ban. He states that in America, a rifle costs under

$1,000 but in Australia, the same gun costs $34,000 on the black market (Jefferies). Jim

uses ethos once when he mentions that he’s from Australia and explains how the gun

culture is different. That establishes him as a credible source to speak about both

country’s gun laws.

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Sources are seldom used in his sketch. He does quote the NRA, mentioning that

after the Sandy Hook massacre, they stated that “none of this would have happened if

the teachers had guns”. Most people viewing his show are more interested in his

opinion than sources. Jim Jeffereies’ style of using humor to deliver his stance on gun

control is very good and encourages people to listen.

All these genres work well to discuss the issue of gun control. Depending on the

rhetor’s purpose, some work better than others. Personal letters to the government

seem to be the best genre to use if the writer wants to facilitate changes in law. A

comedy sketch or op-ed article would not have the right style for this as it doesn’t

directly impact lawmakers’ decisions. The advantage is a written letter is a personal

dialogue between two people and feels more personal, while the disadvantage is only

reaching the intended party.

Op-eds are a great choice for discussing an issue in a serious tone while also

reaching a large audience. The style of this genre allows the writer to be informative

using facts and statistics while also persuading others to view their opinion. A

disadvantage is that it is a biased perspective and may not be a quality source of

information. It’s very similar to a letter to Congress or a web series discussing political

issues. It takes a somber tone and with a heavier emphasis on logos and ethos,

whereas comedy or songs are more informal and indirect.

Social media videos are the best genre to use if the goal is to reach a very broad

audience that mainly consists of younger people. It’s not as seriously regarded as a

letter or op-ed and will not have the effect of targeting an audience that’s concerned

about an issue. Style can be more relaxed in this genre and allow for more discussion
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than a song, op-ed, or letter, but would not be as relaxed as a comedy sketch. It also

may not have quality information or accurate facts.

Music may be the best choice if the purpose of the writer is to influence and

entertain while also being flexible in style. Songs can take a solemn tone if the artist

wants to be taken seriously or light hearted if they want to persuade with a notion or

theme. The advantage to the genre is music has a staying power and may be listened

to for years. It’s an effective way of influencing an audience while also pushing an

agenda. A disadvantage is that it’s not able to deeply educate about a topic because it’s

limited to a very short amount of time. It’s very similar to comedy or a web series

because of its dependence on pathos, but also similar to an op-ed because it has the

ability to inform.

Comedy allows a rhetor to be very creative and open with their views. The quality

of the genre is not as well regarded as any others discussed, but it has its own merit. It’s

ability to persuade through disarming the audience may be more effective than any of

the other genres. Much like music, people may be more open to a message because it’s

packaged with entertainment. It also has similarities to an op-ed or letter because it’s a

personal approach to rhetorical appeals. A disadvantage is that it’s primary appeal will

be through pathos.

Choosing a genre should be the first step in determining what message the

rhetor wants to send and how they want to send it. Some genres will be downright

inappropriate for a context. A writer may want to avoid comedy when writing an op-ed

for the New York Times where the audience wants information. A web series may not

want to include music if the goal is to have groups discuss an issue. Each has its own
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advantages and disadvantage and the beauty is that there’s so many different ways an

author is able to use to let his voice be heard.

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Works Cited

Jefferies, Jim. “Gun Control.” YouTube, 11 Nov. 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?

v=n71CSp8NJlc.

Jubilee. “Pro-Gun Vs. Anti-Gun: Is There Middle Ground?” YouTube, 21 Feb. 2018,

www.youtube.com/watch?v=3svs-nHtlNg&t=1s.

Lott, John R. “Media Portrayal of Gun Ownership Is Inaccurate and Biased.” Fox News,

FOX News Network, 10 May 2018, www.foxnews.com/opinion/2018/05/10/media-

portrayal-gun-ownership-is-inaccurate-and-biased.html.

Ropeik, David, et al. “Two Letters to President Obama About Gun Control.” Two Letters

to President Obama About Gun Control, Big Think, 5 Jan. 2016, bigthink.com/risk-

reason-and-reality/two-letters-to-president-obama-about-gun-control.

Foster the People. “Pumped Up Kicks.” Torches, EastWest Studios, Los Angeles, Cali-

fornia.