In Class: Directed Organization: Unit 2

My three primary sources in response to the fold of WUSA where each of a different medium. The first was a news article, constructed with objectivity, the second was an editorial, flourishing-no-practically drowning in opinion and figurative language, and the third argument was a cartoon, tightroping the line of humor and offense. Each of these primary arguments tie in the argument that it is true women's soccer as a professional league failed, as well as other women's team sports leagues, due to low fan bases and poor financial planning. However, the differences come in when the editorial, for instance, speaks of these facts offhand and in not as much detail as the news article. The editorial focuses almost entirely on the sad little girls all over America who are crushed by the end of their beloved players and league, as well as the end of their opportunity to play there. However, that editorial does not fully address conditions of rebuttal either, especially the rebuttal of why the league folded if these professedly enthusiastic and crushed girls were not present enough to even keep the league going? The cartoon also displays heavy differences, not only in obvious medium, but in content. It is more broad, with teasing women's sports in general, and brings up a question of sexist elements in our society.
There are two main unstated assumptions that fuel these primary arguments. One, is our societal assumption that women's sports suck, no one watches them, and it is funny when they fold. The other is, women deserve an opportunity to play professionally if they so desire and it is sad when that opportunity disintergrates or disappears. These are obviously assumptions that lie on ethos and sexism, as well as logos (the fact that all women's team sports leagues have folded at one time except for the WNBA), and also a strong hinge of pathos. All of these appeals can be strong on their own as persuasive arguments in whatever case, however they are not strong enough in relevance to a culture of assertion. All three need to be involved to be a solid and trustworthy argument, otherwise we are being duped, and that works a lot in America.
So the question is, do we live in a culture of assertion? I say yes, and also no. As a working system of humans we are diverse, and therefore what we produce is also diverse, especially in the individualistic-driven American society we live and work in. A lot of arguments, politically and domestically, are made from emotional standpoints (without much real evidence or portrayal of another viewpoint) in order to persuade an audience to think or act one way, and unfortunately the audience usually reacts highly to this form because without active logical analysis of an argument, emotion takes quite a strong hold. However, there are also many arguments in our society that employ all three appeals and include copious and trustworthy amounts of evidence with the goal of simply informing, like the news article.
As a nation and people we should watch out for the heartstring tugs and look for the real backing evidence in any argument. Who stands to benefit? It should always be you, don't be duped!

My Rhetorical Case Study

For my proposal, I decided to isolate the event of when WUSA (the Women's United Soccer Association), the first professional women's league in America shut down after just three seasons. Basically this argument has a variety of stakeholders because A LOT of money is involved (believe me, we're talking a $40 million budget spent through by the end of the first season). The argument also has a variety of pathos, ethos, and logos, referring to how and why the whole program got started (hype after the world cup win) and how and why it was finished--the three appeals continue to come across, obviously, in reactions to this shut down for many female soccer players around the nation. This argument is pretty recent (2003), so I think I can find a good amount of national sports news on it that is primary. I can make an overarching connection as well to how women's sports function in America, based on the arguments I uncover. The "culture of assertion" will fall into it all easily through the primary resources, I think. I expect to look for these resources at the library and/or via Internet. I also think I can make a connection with this argument to today because the women's pro league is actually re-opening this spring. Perhaps what I discover will allude to reasons for this as well?

Overall, I chose this event because it is something I am very interested in. I've played way too much soccer for one girl, and the closing of the women's league was so sad for me! :( I've always wanted to dig in and find out more about why it happened and what people in that industry had to say about it. I think those facts alone will drive me. I also think that this argument has the potential to release different kinds of primary texts that I can preen relatively easily, I hope.

Free-Write: Miscellaneous

I am so excited for Spring Break. I can't wait until the second round are over, and I can go home, relax, bake a triple fudge chocolate cake, and plant my new morning glories and moon flowers. I am super pumped to take over the yard once more with those beautiful, flourishing vine flowers. I am also thoroughly enjoying the flowers blooming here, big daffodils, assorted pansies, and a couple tulips popping up early. That's what I really liked about TCU during the tour, the crazy gardening emphasis, it's awesome haha. Over Spring Break I am also hoping to play laser tag/paintball/whiffle ball with my best friends. I also want to go to a drive-in movie theatre with my best buddy. I also want to eat a lot of food!!!! I am crazy about food. I should probably be a food critic and just eat all of time. Or a chocolatier...yeah, that would be nice. I am hoping that over the summer I can take a road trip with my friends to Orlando, Florida. I love the beach and the sun and the ocean. I am thinking that I might write about Japan for my Unit 2 project. Japan is one of my favorite things in the world. It's my goal to be fluent in Japanese one day, and I hope to study abroad in Osaka my junior year to accomplish that, but there's a lot of planning to take care of...In terms of the project I hope that my proposal isn't restricted to just America. I don't think it is because of the flexibility and broadness. I want to uncover something really interesting about Japan! And maybe I can look deeper and cross their society with ours.