Structure Of Arguments
Baldwin begins his argument discussing how the question for debate and the answer comes down to the person itself, perspective. He then proceeds to talk about how the system created in the West has destroyed the senses of reality of many African Americans and whites, how low African Americans are considered and how “superior” whites are. He states that it is a system that is like a trap with no escape that affects one self and future generations. This system has been so deeply set that it completely contradicts the fact that African Americans built the countries wealth and status and yet they are not receiving any freedom, citizenship, rights and instead are being treated badly.
Buckley’s argument is a response towards Baldwins argument. He acknowledges the hardships that African Americans face in America, but points out other issues that could be worked on. Buckley states that African Americans are given opportunities which most haven’t taken. African Americans would rather focus on their hardships and in a way call for change in a way to benefit themselves. This shouldn’t be the case, instead as a society it should be brought to attention to make changes towards these hardships that are faced not to benefit a single race but everyone. Everyone must be equal and no single race should feel the need to be entitled to something because of past actions.
James Baldwin’s Uses Of Pathos, Ethos, and Logos
Pathos Example: “By that time you have begun to see it happening in your daughter, your son or your niece or your nephew. You are 30 by now and nothing you have done has helped you to escape the trap.” James Baldwin
Analysis: Despite the audience present consisting of mostly whites, those that are exceptions and audience outside of the debate area are being called out in a way by James Baldwin in this example. Baldwin in a sense uses Pathos trying to get his audience to imagine how it would feel to be trapped in a system with no escape that not only affected you, but your children.
Ethos Example: “From a very literal point of view, the harbors and the ports and the railroads of the country… could not conceivably be what they are if it had not been for cheap labor… I picked cotton, I carried it to the market, I built the railroads under someone else’s whip for nothing.” James Baldwin
Analysis:James Baldwin in this part of his speech uses ethos to ensure credibility on what he speaks about, although he himself hasn’t partaken in this kind of labor. To me, Baldwin tries to represents all those who have spent majority of their lifetime partaking in cheap labor and suffered. Hence there is some sort of credibility established since he’s talking about the experience of those who did that he may have known.
Logos Example: “The American soil is full of the corpses of my ancestors through 400 years and at least three wars. Why is my freedom, my citizenship, in question now? What one begs the American people to do, for all our sakes, is simply to accept our history.”
Analysis: James Baldwin in this part of his speech uses logos to back up how illogical it is that African Americans are being treated. The system that has been created in America based on skin color has destroyed the perspectives of everyone and completely ignores the fact that African American had suffered for a long period of time and yet haven’t been treated properly at all, illogical.
William Buckley’s Uses Of Pathos, Ethos, and Logos
Pathos Example: “We know that there was more blood shed trying to emancipate the Irish here in the British Isles than has been shed by 10 times the number of people who have been lynched as a result of the delirium of race consciousness, race supremacy, in the United States.”
Analysis: Buckley’s use of this example suggests a sort of use of pathos since it compares two events that include violence. He states that what had happened in the British Isles was far worse than the lynchings that have occurred in America which can be controversial and possibly anger some people.
Logos Example: “It is the case that seven tenths of the average white’s income in the United States is equal to the entire income of the average Negro. But my great-grandparents worked hard.”
Analysis: Buckley in this part of his argument uses a statistic to compare the difference in quantity of money earned between both whites and African Americans. Although this contradicts his argument in a way, he also stated that this is because of his ancestors who worked hard for it.
Ethos Example: “I urge those of you who have an actual interest in the problem to read “Beyond the Melting Pot,” by Nathan Glazer and Daniel Moynihan. They say that in 1900 there were 3,500 Negro doctors in America. In 1960 there were 3,900, an increase of 400.”
Analysis: Buckley here makes a reference to a book here to back up his general point that African Americans aren’t taking the opportunities they are given and instead put their energy out towards something else. This also demonstrates that Buckley knows what he is talking about since he’s done some sort of background research.