The use of radical language when a group of individuals that are fighting for the same cause is necessary in order to persuade the rest of the population. Persuasive speeches sound more convincing when there is used words that portray strong emotions to the public. Radical language does not only give emotionality to the speech but gains the public’s sympathy because it high-lights the importance of the issue.

In the S.C.U.M Manifesto high-lights the in-equality between men and women by using radical language to make man sound as the villains. The “10 Point Platform” uses repetition of words that sound like commands in order to deliver the message that something needs to be done for the people who are standing up for a specific issue.

In my opinion, radical language is effective depending on the issue that you are standing for. Some protest do not require radical language to achieve the goal. Some issues that have to do with things that are considered inhumane require a lot of radical language to emphasize the importance and that there needs to be taken action immediately. Radical language will help the “protesters” for example to be taken more seriously from the government. The more aggressive a protest sounds the more attention is going to get.

The bottom line is that radical language is effective most of the time but its is to be limited because it can also lead to extreme violence and even a revolt. The radical language can give a lot of motivation to the supporters and that can lead to violent and abusive protests making it less effective.

Both the Black Panther Party Platform and SCUM Manifesto utilize radical language in order to effectively express their points.  Diction is extremely important in both the Black Panther Party Platform and SCUM Manifesto because choosing assertive, demanding and even vulgar language is what makes both pieces so radical and effective.  For example, in the Black Panther Party Platform, it was formatted in a list of 1-10 of what are basically demands because they are phrased, “We want”.  This is effective because the Black Panthers are referring to themselves as a “we” to show that they are a unified group and used the word “want” to show that they are not simply asking for power or employment or freedom from brutality but they are demanding it.  Word choice is also important in the SCUM Manifesto as seen through the use of words such as “completely” to emphasize her points about men and “incapable” to show that even if men were to try they would never be successful.  It is also important to note that Solanas is very blunt and to the point with her wording rather than being vague or using less aggressive language.  For example, when she says, “We’re at that stage now; if women don’t get their asses in gear fast, we may very well all die”.  When saying this she is literally saying if we women don’t do anything about our current status and position in this patriarchal society then we may as well just die because there is no point. The use of radical language in both the Black Panther Party Platform and SCUM Manifesto have proven to be effective in catching the attention of the listener and creating a response.

Kaitlyn Moriarty

Both the Black Panther Party Platform and the SCUM Manifesto voices every extreme argument. Language is a very powerful tool, the way you use it can result in many different outcomes. Your tone in your writing may not be the tone the reader interprets it. Therefore, it’s crucial to be clear and blunt when you’re trying to directly attempt to deliver a strong belief or message. The Black Panther Party Platform speaks to provide a vivid story from what and where the issues were. The radical language used here is demanding but very effective. In able to support their huge movement, declaring rights and equality, they used language to their advantage. On the other hand, SCUM Manifesto also uses radical language, which allowed Valerie Solana to express her perspective on a controversial topic. This use of language provides a sense of strength and power into the position. It not only shows the seriousness of the writer but also voicing the important and urgency of the changes that need to take place. In the writing, she clearly holds a strong standing on her value of supporting women’s rights. Not only that but she also thinks that men are the main problem and there should be an elimination of the sex male. The use of radical language is used effectively because it shakes the readers and at some point, throughout the reading, you’ll feel convinced and you sort of sink into the thoughts of the writer even though it was out of the norm when it was first written.

-Shan Shan Chen

Both Black Panther Party Platform and SCUM Manifesto uses radical language can directly let audience knows what he wants to say, and what is his point. Adding the radical language to the manifests allows the audience to know their thoughts clearly and easily enter the supporters’ hearts, it can let the people that original does not support him or people who do not know him going to support him. However, use radical language has some disadvantages, like the presidential election, the presidential candidate will use some radical language to make his followers and centrist people to continue support him. But, If the speech is discriminatory, the result is that people who disagree with him will continue to disagree him, and the followers and centrist who dissatisfied of his speech will may not continue to support him. In the Black Panther Party Platform, they use ten points and brief reasons to make us very clear know their claims, they use radical language to make it easier for us to feel the helplessness and despair of the blacks, so it can let most of us start going to support their points. But, in Valerie Solana’s “Scum Declaration”, her article is full of words that despise and hate men. Like “Being completely self-centered and unable to relate to anything outside himself, the male’s conversation’, when not about himself, is an impersonal droning on, removed from anything of human value. (SCUM) and “The male is completely egocentric, trapped inside himself, incapable of empathizing or identifying with others, or love, friendship, affection of tenderness.” (SCUM) Although this can get part of the support of women, but, when men read this article, Valerie will lose the support of these men, men will not support her anymore.

When you are voicing your perspective on anything, it is not only important to know what to say, but also how to say it. In order to effectively and coherently express your thoughts to others, it is crucial to do it concisely and specifically. The usage of radical language in manifestos can be described as an effective tactic to help gain attention. It increases attraction causing society to gain interest. When discarding excessive usage of words, you are clearly stating your perspective which then allows others to clearly understand what you are trying to express. The context of the two readings, the Black Panther and SCUM, discuss very different topics. However, they are similar in the way they present their ideas, through the use of radical language.

In the Black Panther Party Platform reading for example, they formatted their writing  by simply numbering the points and ideas that they wanted to express. The simplicity in style allows readers to easily follow the writer’s trail of thought. In Solanas “SCUM Manifesto”, the author expresses her belief that men are ruining society, and it is up to women to fix the problem. Solanas uses clear cut language indicating what she believes women should do in order to create a better society. She does not sugar coat the topic of the issue, but uses radical language to state her perspective on how to fix the male dominant society that we live in. As manifestos use radical language, their works appear to gain more recognition for its unambiguous interpretation of the text. Thus, it can be said that the usage of radical language is effective in delivering the message to the public.

Manifestos use radical language to emphasize their points. The Black Panther Party Platform and the SCUM Manifesto both use radical language to capture the reader’s attention and gain popularity through the harsh words. Radical language has way of influencing people during times where society and the government are weak or reaching a weak point. Radical language also entices people who are not in a great state of mind and find comfort in the radical language and what it promises. The Black Panther Party arose during the Civil Rights Era in which African Americans were fighting to have equal rights. The Black Panther Party Platform drew African Americans that felt there would never be any changes to society and how African Americans were treated without doing something radical to ensure that African Americans are heard.  The SCUM Manifesto was written in a satirical way to appeal to women by saying that men have destroyed the world and in order for the world to be saved women need to make the male sex disappear. Because of the radical language and the satire in the SCUM Manifesto, women started appealing to the idea that men ruined the world and that they are to blame for every downfall. In both The Black Panther Party Platform and the SCUM Manifesto the use of radical language is effective.

In my opinion, it’s effective that the manifestos use radical language. For example, The Black Panther Party Platform is very straightforward, and the reader don’t need to guess the real meaning of the sentences. The reader can understand the manifesto very well by the radical language because it’s clear expression. The manifestos need clear and direct expression. In Black Panther Party Platform, it uses radical language to list what Black people want and what they believe clearly. In Black Panther Party Platform, the passage use parallelism to show the radical language. It’s very clear that everything that black people want and believe. The manifestos need to let people have a sense of identification with the manifestos. The radical language can arouse people’s sense of identification because the radical language in manifestos point out something straightforward. You will think that is what you think and agree exactly. Or you will think that is what I need absolutely. The radical language can lead you to agree with the manifestos because the radical language can direct yourself. The radical language also encourages people because the radical language usually use intense words to inspire people and let people have a sense of belonging. The radical languages usually have an exciting tone to encourage people. Clear and direct expression and exciting tone, those are necessary for the manifestos. So, radical language is effective for the manifestos.

Manifestos aim to promote a certain policy or goal to an individual, group, or society. Sometimes the most effective strategy used to achieve that goal is through the utilization of radical language. Radical language captures the intense emotions of the author and conveys this sentiment to the audience. It also enthralls the reader and could potentially create a large following. When used correctly, radical language could enhance your message, but if used recklessly, it might harm your reputation. Both the Black Panther Party and SCUM Manifesto had a different approach of using radical language as a revolt against societal norms.

The Black Panther Party effectively used radical language to support the Civil Rights Movement. This unique writing style of “We Want, we believe” summarized the main issues that affected the black community and offered possible solutions to these issues. For example, one of their issues was their lack of freedom and one possible solution they offered was to become leaders of their own communities (Black Panther Party 1). Another issue was fair trials for black suspects and the proposed solution was granting them juries of their peers, attorneys of their choice and freedom from imprisonment while awaiting trial (Black Panther Party 2). Notice that this style of writing was considered radical because it denounced the social norm that was segregation by offering various propositions.

On the other hand, SCUM Manifesto didn’t effective use radical language to support the feminist movement. Valerie Solana’s ostracizing of the entire male population by using demonizing adjective works in direct opposition to feminism. She says, “The male is completely egocentric, trapped inside himself, incapable of empathizing or identifying with others, or love, friendship, affection or tenderness” (Solana 1). This will make many men hate feminism and thus shun away a large group of potential supports.

Benny Chan

Both the SCUM Manifesto and The Black Panther Party utilize language in their writings that come across as straight forward and one sided. the terms and conditions of the desires of both are explicitly stated, leaving the reader no room for interpretation. This radical use of language, however, is done intentionally for many reasons. When using radical language in writing, it forces the reader to focus on the main points the writer is trying to get across, rather than wasting time on minute details that will do nothing to get across then intent for which the manifesto was written in the first place. When manifestos are written, it is usually intended for a set, or given, audience; an audience that agrees with all, or most, of the points being made because they themselves have experienced something personally that will be reflective in the manifesto. While some people may view manifestos as a calling to get more people to identify with the ideas being stated, manifestos are rather a calling to people who already share the same views. They are spread in an effort to solidify what certain groups of people are already feeling. If used correctly, manifestos can serve as a driving force to gather these groups of people to affect social change. They seem “radical” because it is often one sided. However, sometimes that is necessary in order to inflict the wanted change. Manifestos also are not made very often, but when they are and when they are spread around quickly, it shows how willing people are for that change to occur. And sometimes, using “radical” language is the only way to attain that change.

Although the Black Panther’ Party Platform and Valerie Solanas’ “SCUM Manifesto” speak of ideas regarding very different topics, they both utilize radical language as a means of drawing readers’ attention and captivating potential followers. Radical language can often times be very enticing to people of vulnerable emotional/political/socioeconomic states, or people who have experienced a disservice at the hands of their society. When searching for an outlet for their frustration, these individuals are easily drawn to the reformative and revolutionary spirit of manifestos– such as many African Americans were to the Black Panther Party Platform during the Civil Rights Movement, and as many women were to Solanas’ “SCUM Manifesto”. People find this kind of rhetoric appealing because it openly declares their concerns/grievances and makes them known to the public, and provides set solutions to their problems which gives them a sense of hopefulness for a better future. Manifestos may also help people feel represented in society as a group, letting individuals know that they are not alone, and instilling the sentiment that change can occur where there is power in numbers. Additionally, manifestos and their radical nature attract readers simply because their ideas seem so different and foreign to their audiences– sparking a natural curiosity. It is for these reasons that change-seekers often implement radical language into their pieces, because it entices, captivates, and motivates people to act in a certain manner or uphold specific ideals.