The main ways both debaters explained their arguments was to show the perspective of the Black man in America. In this field, Baldwin has inherent ethos over Buckley and the audience because he was most likely the only Black person in the room. He utilized pathos by explaining that his ancestors helped build America as slaves, financially, and literally because slaves were responsible for many pieces of infrastructure across the country. He also explained how when he was a child, he was taught that his ancestors were essentially worthless because they weren’t the famous figures of white history, and how American heroes, such as Gary Cooper, were seen as fighting Black people. He finally employed logos by stating the hypocrisy in having built the country, yet not being able to completely enjoy the privileges of it.
Buckley possesses an ethos to discuss the plight of African Americans because he is a well respected academic and political commentator. However, this pales in comparison to Baldwin because he is not Black, and he grew with significantly more privilege than Baldwin. Therefore, when he shares experiences of a black man getting harassed by the police or getting kicked out of a bar, it doesn’t appear as genuine as Baldwin. For pathos, Buckley mostly made quippy remarks. One in particular I found to be somewhat amusing is when he said “I assume that if you all were to become the governors of the United States, then the problem of racism will end immediately.” This is a good form of pathos because through humor, he is able to engage the audience, and if he becomes likable enough to them, he can make them agree with what he is saying. Two arguments Buckley made while using logos stuck out to me. First he said that “Everything has to come at the expense of something else.” and “Things are changing in American society because Baldwin is able to share the problems of the Black community, and people show concern about it.”