Fear spoils freedom’s promise- first post spring qtr

I would say the most pressing communication justice issues currently are freedom of speech issues that have to do with voicing opinions about sexual orientation, funerals of soldiers and "ownership" of opinions on blogs. However, what I rank as important or in need of attention is very different from what other other people would say is important. No matter how disturbed or passionate I am about a certain issue, I am aware that I am constantly respecting the opinions of others.

Because of my experience and moral guidelines, I value certain issues that others do not. For example, in class today, Jordan and I were discussing which settings/situations should be allowed freedom of speech. Jordan thought that picketting at a funeral should be allowed but I disagreed. Because it attacks one's character (an issue of slander/libel) than that person should be protected, even after death. Furthermore, because I hold funerals to be very sacred and personal, I don't think picketters should be allowed at them. In the same way, I would not allow picketters at a wedding or any other socially sacred ritual.

Because Jordan thought that picketters should be allowed, he may be telling me that he does not value funerals the same way I do. What is interesting about the issues of communication justice is that they are always changing. What we talk about right now and what we deem as important may change in a few days from now- and it will drastically change a few years from now. Because of this, communication justice issues are always evolving, making it a truly intriguing issue to discuss.

Major Persuasive Project

Travis the Chimp and our Ultimate Reality; Students Don’t Care about Animals

          An Editorial for Newsvine.com

            By: Gabrielle Ashton Evans

March 10^th 2009

 

 

Audience: The subscribers and viewers from Newsvine.com come from all over the world. I expect residents from Seattle to read this piece as well as animal lovers or frequent visitors to the site. I know there are a lot of people in the greater Seattle area that really do care about animals so It will be interesting to see their comments and the number of votes this article receives.

 

Analysis: This editorial will be appealing to my audience because many people in Seattle are animal lovers but they also feel like the minority, not many people do care. I know that Newsvine members are interested in all types of news and the opinions of other members. Most likely they will be searching for the type of information within my editorial and they will accidentally stumble upon it. Many Newsvine members are young college students and they might have opposite views that I do, it is likely that they will be reading this article as well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Travis the chimp has been in the spotlight for years. Whether it was in Old Navy or Coca Cola commercials, Travis has been a friendly face on TV for many. What we didn't know was that Travis was going to be getting much more media attention. In the past few weeks many stories have been done on Travis because he attacked a family friend by mauling her face and ripping apart the palms of her hands. What Travis did was wrong and everyone in America feels terrible for the poor woman not many people feel bad for Travis. Most of them say things like, "well of course the chimp did that, he's a wild animal!" or "that's what you get for keeping a chimp for a pet" but the people that feel bad for Travis, because he's Travis, are few and far between. 

Unfortunately, Travis is not the only animal who has been looked over. In America, millions of animals roam the streets homeless or spend their days and nights in cages. Most of these animals are “put to sleep” or more realistically, killed because there just isn’t room for them and breeders keep on breeding, preventing the mutts and kittens from making it to a loving home. Every animal deserves a home and a chance at a happy life and for many people that’s obvious. However, how do we convince the other half of the nation, the larger half, that animal cruelty is wrong? Better yet, how do we convince them that animals have a worth and inalienable rights, because they’re creatures- like us.

Sources say Travis the chimp lived a fairly human lifestyle. He enjoyed TV, surfing the Internet, sleeping in his bed and dressing himself. He ate at the table with the rest of the family and enjoyed many things humans enjoy as well. While this may seem cute and maybe fascinating to many Americans, it deep disturbs people like me, animal lovers. A real animal lover loves not because the animal is cute or funny but because the animal deserves to be happy like the rest of us creatures. Travis never wanted to life he had. He's a wild animal and deserves to enjoy the life of a wild chimp. The fact that he lashed out and attacked a family friend only supports this idea. After 15 years of being on camera, no wonder Travis went bananas. He just couldn't take it anymore. 

             Today in my persuasive writing class we discussed PETA and the persuasive videos they show in the hopes of rallying members and preventing animal cruelty. The responses from students only support my theory even further: most students don't care about animal rights. The Catalyst, a Seattle University newsletter, took a poll in last month's edition on which issues were most important to Seattle University students. I was appalled to find out Animal Rights was tied in last place for the least important social issue. The only other issue that fell this low was the issue of student loans. Student loans vs. Animal Rights? Really? I struggle with this because in my mind, the life of an animal is worth much more than money or the ability to borrow money from a bank. But like I said, I'm alone in this battle. 

 What is it going to take for people to care more about the life of an animal? Do we need more graphic images? More terrifying statistics? According to the Humane Society of the Untied States, 6-8 million cats and dogs are euthanized in shelters each year while only 3-4 million are adopted. PETA's videos include some of the most horrific footage I have ever seen but after showing some of the videos, the students in class continue to laugh and joke around. For them, life goes on. Many people don't see animals as being even close to as worthy of value as humans, so they struggle to grant them the natural rights that seem so obvious to me. For the above reasons, I am extremely frustrated with people on this issue, everyday. Why do so many people enjoy the bliss of ignorance and turn a blind eye when they see animals suffer? 

 

**Included in the article on Newsvine.com, I have posted a few pictures of Travis

**link to the actual article on Newsvine.com: http://evansg.newsvine.com/_news/2009/03/04/2505714-travis-the-chimp-and-our-ultimate-reality-students-dont-care-about-animals-

An Analysis of Jordan Laine's Podcast

2. a. audience- jordan's fantasy sports podcast does a really good job of incorporating numerous audiences: men, women, fantasy sports veterans, new people to the fantasy game, critics and lovers of fantasy sports. The best potential audience would be people that are not familiar with fantasy sports or maybe women since Jordan explains women make up only 12% of fantasy sports players. He effectively addresses these numerous audiences by explaining how the fantasy game works, by being emotionally and logically appealing and by the tone of his voice. It felt like I was just having a conversation with Jordan about one of his favorite passions. 

b. genre and publication- I think a podcast was a perfect choice for the medium of his major persuasive project. The sound affects, expert snippets and audio appeal really support the idea of fantasy sports. Those people who are likely to play fantasy sports are also more likely to click on itunes and listen to this podcast for themselves. 

3. a. Jordan effectively framed communicated and persuaded me to be interested in fantasy sports. After listening to the podcast, I better understand the issue and I get a good sense of how it works. I also feel more confident in my ability since Jordan made it clear that beginners have the advantage, they win a lot of fantasy games since they lack the realistic experience of sports. 

b. Jordan addresses a few disagreements one may  have with his argument but I feel like there could be room for more. I don't play/have an interest in fantasy sports so I'm a little biased but I still feel like there should be a few more points that really drive the point home: fantasy sports are fun and easy to play. He does a good job of establishing credibility by citing a few experts and a female player of the game. The third person narrative also emphasizes his level of experience with the issue he is talking about. ** In this section, I would add a few more snippets about why its so fun. Maybe add some examples about a few close games you had or a game that sticks out in your mind. There is a lot of usage of logos but it would be good to add more personal ethos and pathos. 

4. a/b.Jordan uses a couple really good sound bytes from GarageBand that enhance the feel of the podcast. I feel like I am apart of something bigger because of the dramatic investigative clips and sports sounds. There are no visuals, since it is a podcast.

c. I think Jordan balances summary and analysis very well. 

d. I think Jordan did the best on this section. I have never discussed fantasy sports so this podcast did a good job of persuading my interest. The podcast form was a perfect use of medium for this issue/idea/concept.

e. The podcast is very well structured. The beginning, middle and end are very obvious and flow nicely together. It was easy to listen to and kept my attention throughout the 3 minutes. Jordan mentioned that he is going to be adding a few more minutes to the podcast but the first half I am analyzing today looks really good. I'm excited to listen to the final piece. 

Travis the Chimp and our Ultimate Reality; Students Don’t Care about Animals (Major Persuasive Project)

Travis the chimp has been in the spotlight for years. Whether it was in Old Navy or Coca Cola commercials, Travis has been a friendly face on TV for many. What we didn't know was that Travis was going to be getting much more media attention. In the past few weeks many stories have been done on Travis because he attacked a family friend by mauling her face and ripping apart the palms of her hands. What Travis did was wrong and everyone in America feels terrible for the poor woman not many people feel bad for Travis. Most of them say things like, "well of course the chimp did that, he's a wild animal!" or "that's what you get for keeping a chimp for a pet" but the people that feel bad for Travis, because he's Travis, are few and far between. 

Unfortunately, Travis is not the only animal who has been looked over. In America, millions of animals roam the streets homeless or spend their days and nights in cages. Most of these animals are “put to sleep” or more realistically, killed because there just isn’t room for them and breeders keep on breeding, preventing the mutts and kittens from making it to a loving home. Every animal deserves a home and a chance at a happy life and for many people that’s obvious. However, how do we convince the other half of the nation, the larger half, that animal cruelty is wrong? Better yet, how do we convince them that animals have a worth and inalienable rights, because they’re creatures- like us.

Sources say Travis the chimp lived a fairly human lifestyle. He enjoyed TV, surfing the Internet, sleeping in his bed and dressing himself. He ate at the table with the rest of the family and enjoyed many things humans enjoy as well. While this may seem cute and maybe fascinating to many Americans, it deep disturbs people like me, animal lovers. A real animal lover loves not because the animal is cute or funny but because the animal deserves to be happy like the rest of us creatures. Travis never wanted to life he had. He's a wild animal and deserves to enjoy the life of a wild chimp. The fact that he lashed out and attacked a family friend only supports this idea. After 15 years of being on camera, no wonder Travis went bananas. He just couldn't take it anymore. 

             Today in my persuasive writing class we discussed PETA and the persuasive videos they show in the hopes of rallying members and preventing animal cruelty. The responses from students only support my theory even further: most students don't care about animal rights. The Catalyst, a Seattle University newsletter, took a poll in last month's edition on which issues were most important to Seattle University students. I was appalled to find out Animal Rights was tied in last place for the least important social issue. The only other issue that fell this low was the issue of student loans. Student loans vs. Animal Rights? Really? I struggle with this because in my mind, the life of an animal is worth much more than money or the ability to borrow money from a bank. But like I said, I'm alone in this battle. 

 What is it going to take for people to care more about the life of an animal? Do we need more graphic images? More terrifying statistics? PETA's videos include some of the most horrific footage I have ever seen but after showing some of the videos, the students in class continue to laugh and joke around. For them, life goes on. Many people don't see animals as being even close to as worthy of value as humans, so they struggle to grant them the natural rights that seem so obvious to me. For the above reasons, I am extremely frustrated with people on this issue, everyday. Why do so many people enjoy the bliss of ignorance and turn a blind eye when they see animals suffer? 

 

GETA: Gabby for the Ethical Treatment of Animals

After watching a few PETA videos on the ethical treatment of mice, chickens, dogs and cats, many people are frustrated and offended; "PETA went too far... where are they getting their sources from? This can't be credible," I heard one girl say. I just shook my head. How are people so ignorant of the world around them? As I watched the ABC or Animal Birth Control video, I started to cry. So I turned it off. I tried watching the McCruelty video and only lasted about 7 seconds, so I attempted to watch the video on mice and rats. I couldn't get more than 10 seconds into that one either. The images of homeless animals around the nation are not offensive, they are realistic. For this same reason, I could not watch Passion of the Christ (which may only be "reality" for us Christians) and to this day, I cannot watch a commercial that portrays poverty stricken children in third world countries. It is so emotionally heart wrenching for me to watch any creature in pain, I physically can't do it. Anyone who second guesses PETA and their motives, is living in the bliss of complete ignorance and I have no respect for them. I am fully aware of my concrete set of values, which includes a strong commitment to animal and human rights. I also know this affects the way I interpret videos from PETA as well as many other animal rights organizations. I understand that. What I don't understand is why no one else in this class feels the way I do about the issue. Why doesn't anyone else care? One man (I hesitate to call him a man) said that because animals and humans are "on different levels" its not fair to compare a woman being raped to a female animal in heat, taken over by another animal (which to me, seems pretty darn close to rape.) I can't even raise my hand in class, because I know I'll start to cry. PETA is not offensive or irrational. They are only using real images, real footage and real animals to make a point: animals should be treated better than they are currently. 

Travis the chimp and our ultimate reality; students don't care about animals

Travis the chimp has been in the spotlight for years. Whether it was in Old Navy or Coca Cola commercials, Travis has been a friendly face on TV for many. What we didn't know was that Travis was going to be getting much more media attention. In the past few weeks many stories have been done on Travis because he attacked a family friend by mauling her face and ripping apart the palms of her hands. What Travis did was wrong and everyone in America feels terrible for the poor woman not many people feel bad for Travis. Most of them say things like, "well of course the chimp did that, he's a wild animal!" or "that's what you get for keeping a chimp for a pet" but the people that feel bad for Travis, because he's Travis, are few and far between. 

What is wrong with our society? Sources say Travis the chimp lived a fairly human lifestyle. He enjoyed TV, surfing the internet, sleeping in his bed and dressing himself. He ate at the table with the rest of the family and enjoyed many things humans enjoy as well. While this may seem cute and maybe fascinating to many Americans, it deep disturbs people like me, animal lovers. A real animal lover loves not because the animal is cute or funny but because they deserve to be happy- like the rest of us creatures. Travis never wanted to life he had. Ya he's a wild animal and deserves to enjoy the life of a chimp. The fact that he lashed out and attacked a family friend only supports this idea. After 15 years of being on camera, no wonder Travis went bananas. He just couldn't take it anymore. 

Today in class, we have been discussing PETA and the persuasive videos they show in the hopes of rallying members and preventing animal cruelty. The responses some students had to these videos only supports my theory even further: most students don't care about animal rights. The Catalyst, a Seattle University newsletter, took a poll in last month's edition on which issues were most important to Seattle University students. I was appalled to find out animal rights was tied in last place for the least important social issue. The only other issue that fell this low was student loans. Student loans vs. animal rights? Really? I struggle with this because in my mind, the life of an animal is worth much more than money- or the ability to borrow money from a bank...but like I said, I'm alone in this battle. 

What is it going to take for people to care more about the life of an animal? More graphic images? PETA's videos include some of the most horrific footage I have ever seen but after showing some of the videos, the students in class continue to laugh and joke around. For them, life goes on; out of sight, out of mind. Maybe having pets will help people respect animal life and happiness? Besides that, I'm out of ideas. It may seem strange but for this same reason, I hesitate to have children of my own. There are millions of children that roam the streets of our world without anyone to care for them. How selfish and cruel would it be for me to have my own children, when so many go uncared for? My problem is, I hold humans and animals at the same "level." Many people don't see animals as being even close to as worthy of value as humans, so they struggle to grant them the natural rights that seem so obvious to me. For the above reasons, I am extremely frustrated with people on this issue, everyday. Why do so many people enjoy the bliss of ignorance and turn a blind eye when they see animals suffer? 

being a responsible mommy

Being a mother is arguably the most important job a woman could ever have. For that reason, I am constantly debating in my mind whether I should be a mom or not. Its too big of a decision to be taken lightly and unfortunately, its a decision thats made everyday without a second thought. There are many ways to be a responsible mother and I believe there are many components to being responsible for a child. Being only financially responsible does not cut it and being only emotionally responsible for that child does that cut it either. There is not a precise recipe but responsible motherhood takes time, money, effort, patience...the list goes on. What we have been discussing in class today is motherhood in the military and the now famous, 14-child Mom. Personally, if a woman wants to have a baby and be in the military, thats her choice to make. Many men make the same choice to be a parent while continuing to serve and for that reason, women should be able to make the same decision. Do I think its the smartest choice? No. But having the freedom to make that choice- is priceless and absolutely necessary. As for the 14-child Mom, I  just shake my head. Of course I don't agree with her lifestyle (thousands in student loans, food stamps and family drama) but as of right now, we cannot prevent women from having children and we can also not prevent them from having a certain number of children. She had the right to make the decision she made. Again, it was not the best choice in my opinion. However, while I may not agree with the way some people choose to live their lives, its not up to me or anyone else to decide that. I know how I will live my life... and really, thats all I need to worry about.