Alison+M.




 * __Logical Fallacies __**

 __Non-Sequiter__- argument that does not make sense when it follows another claim; interrupts the argument; attempts to divert the audience's attention from the previous argument  ex.I have read Harry Potter dozens of times. So, no one should read Twilight.  [|Geico Commercial]

 __Appeal to a Celebrity__- the celebrity endorses a product so it must be good  ex. Katy Perry uses Proactive, and it worked for her, so it will also work for me.  [|Covergirl Commercial]

 Alison Moore

Mrs.Vore

AP English Language

11 October 2010

"Chaning Roles"

When discussing the most powerful and significant leaders of our day, some may say President Obama, Bill Gates, and Arnold Schwarzenegger; however some may argue that the most influential individuals of our time are Hillary Clinton,, and Michelle Obama. It is no question that women today have a more powerful role in government and have more rights than those of previous generations. Yet in the public eye, women are still often seen as inferior and weak to men.

This is a fact.

Everyday, working-class women still struggle to be accepted and acknowledged as equals in the work-place. Today, women comprise 46% of the labor force, but 59% of workers making less than eight dollars an hour. Almost half of the entire workforce is made up of women, many of whom have had an education, like their male counterparts. Yet, men often receive preference for the same jobs that women fight to obtain. For over thirty years<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">, I have been a <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">women struggling to reach success in an industry that most believe is dominated by men. Persistence and perseverance is the only way to overcome such treatment.

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">Women earn less than men in 99% of all occupations. Men earn more money than women, even if these women have the same occupation or the same education. As a result, women earn less over a lifetime, an amount that can total as much as two-million dollars<span style="background-color: #ff0300; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">, for women with professional school grad<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">uate s. How does society expect women, many of whom have families with children to support, to survive when millions of dollars <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">are being taken away from them because of male preference? They cannot.

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">Along with the mounting pressures of their careers, many women still have families to support and care for. Not only do they work <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">numerous hours every week, they also juggle taking their son to soccer practice, their daughter to a piano recital, and cook dinner for her kids and husband. Some are single mothers struggling to make ends meet. Still, these women are sometimes treated with disrespect and apathy.

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">So what can we do? In a time when we root for the underdog to win, the minority gains rights, and good triumphs over evil, why aren’t more people concerned with the present injustice occurring every day? People are ill-informed of this issue, and need to stand up together as a single force. Madeleine Albright once said, “There is a special place in hell for women who do not help other women.” In order to better society as a <span style="background-color: #ff0300; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">hole, we must help to better one another first.

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">Perhaps if this issue is resolved, if society can begin to truly treat women equal to men, not just in the voting box, but in society; we can begin to fix the other social problems afflicting the nation. Poverty can be reduced, the rights of minorities protected. These dilemmas that have been pressing our country for decades can begin to be resolved. Women need to take a larger stand and involvement in these issues because, as stated by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, “Research shows the presence of women raises the standards of ethical behavior and lowers corruption.” Women deserve more influence, and should understand that their involvement can have the power to change a nation that’s all about change. A change in the roles of women might be the cure to the political, social, and economic concerns of the United States.

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">Women, girls, mothers, daughters, of all ages and backgrounds, take charge and make a difference. Change your role in this world. It could impact the lives of thousands to come after you. Major battles in women’s history have been won by Susan B. Anthony, Alice Paul, Abigail Adams, Rosa Parks, and countless others. Yours could be next.

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">Writer’s Memo: I chose to mimic the style of Anna Quindlen in my editorial. I did research on her and learned about her long career in journalism, and tried to reference it in my piece. Having read some of her articles, there were some things that reoccurred in her pieces. She would often insert a simple sentence as a separate paragraph, or in a significant part of a paragraph. I believe that is to simplify her argument and keep the reader interested throughout. I also noted her use of Logos. She includes a lot of statistics and quotes that I think add a lot to her editorial. I looked up several statistics on my topic and tried to incorporate them into my editorial. I attempted to do the same. She used Hillary Clinton a few times, so I also selected a quote from her. In some cases<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">, she uses Ethos as well. She establishes her credibility often by stating her experience in the field. She also discusses a lot of social, somewhat controversial topics, and the question of ethics can arise. A final technique of Anna Quindlen’s I utilized was rhetorical questions. She often uses these to reinforce her argument and make people question their own beliefs. I enjoy using rhetorical questions also, because they put a lot of emphasis on the point you are trying to make.