Rhetorical Analysis of Gabriel Giffords: A Sentates in the Gun Lobby's

One in the Chamber: A Rhetorical Analysis of A Senate in the Gun Lobby’s Grip, by Gabrielle Giffords

Imagine a high school student minding his own business in class and then suddenly a warning that a shooter is in the building goes off. The first stop he makes is his classroom and they both recognize as they seen each other in the hall once or twice. He doesn’t know the reason but now the student has a hard, cold, metal barrel pointed right at his head ready to pull the trigger. He tries to convince him to calm down that everything will work out. He doesn’t listen and he pulls the trigger. In the days that are upon us it is easy to get a weapon that is why, and some people would think that something would be passed to create ways to prevent some people from getting guns. The S.Amdt &15, Public Safety and Second amendment Rights Protection Act which would have increased background checks on gun purchases, and requires background checks be conducted on people purchasing firearms online and at gun shows (S Amdt 715 – Public Safety, n.d.) would have done just that. Yet that bill was rejected, Gabrielle Giffords uses the rhetoric appeals of ethos, pathos, and logos to persuade, grasp emotions, and establish a connection with the readers in a “Senate in the Gun Lobby’s Grip”.

On April 17, 2013 “A senates in the Gun Lobby’s Grip” by Gabrielle Giffords was published by the New York Times. Giffords presents the senators fear brought to them by the Nation Rifle Association and gun lobby and the incomparable fear of the victims of Sandy Hook. She then explains how the senators she once served with did not pass a bill that she felt that would be a tremendous help to end the shooting happening in the U.S. Gabrielle Giffords states clearly that she is an ex-senator elected to represent southern Arizona in State Legislation and then in Congress six times. She then goes on saying that the voting for this bill should be as easy as an elementary vote, yet the NRA’s grip had too much of an influence. Even after a few of the senators who were met by her and some of the grieving parents of the sandy hook massacre the bill was still not passed. Giffords being a victim to gun violence herself being shot in the head and witnessing her friend Gabe Zimmerman being shot and murdered in front of her. She then says in the text “failed to do their job” as the Senate disappointed citizens by rejecting the bill that could save countless lives and restrict those with a background or have a mental illness. The article then begins to end with Giffords stating that there needs to be change. The actions being committed by the Senate are not making America progress, but setting it back (Giffords, 2013).

Giffords purpose is to accomplish the goal of educating people so that a legislative amendment to create backgrounds checks for people trying to purchase firearms is passed, and she wants them to be aware of the kind of senators are in office. Giffords says in the article, “I am asking every reasonable American to help me tell the truth about the cowardice these senators demonstrate” (Para. 6, 2013). This quote shows both the purpose and the audience; which is reasonable America. Her rhetorical stance is a wakeup call to get citizens to tell the senators that they are failing. “The senators who voted against background checks for online and gun-shows sales, and those who voted against checks to screen out would-be gun buyers with mental illness, failed to do their job” (2013, para. 8). With the audience, purpose, and rhetorical stance now revealed, Giffordds uses each rhetorical appeal to engage and attract them.

The primary rhetoric used by Gifford was ethos, because of her past she could persuade her audience. Ethos is defined in Purdue Owl as: “credibility or trustworthiness” (Brizee, Driscoll, & Sproat, 2012, para. 3). “I was elected six times to represent southern Arizona, in the State Legislatures and then in Congress” (2013, para. 4). Her experience being in Congress gives her the credibility to be able to criticize these Senators. Her knowledge that she earned from being elected six times gives her the experience to combat the senators she going against. With the experience, she received from being in Washington, D.C readers are now able to trust and believe her.

Pathos almost being as much as ethos is widely used throughout the article; Purdue Owl defines pathos as: “the elements of a speech that appealed to any of an audience’s sensibilities” (Sproat, et al, 2012, para. 4). Gifford evokes the emotions of the audience by discussing the recent shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary and retells her story about getting shot in the head and losing her friend Gabe Zimmermna, “Gabe ran toward me as I lay bleeding. Toward gunfire. And then the gunman shot him, and then Gabe died” (2013, para. 7). These affairs captured headlines and Giffords knows this and uses it to her advantage, tugging at the heart strings of her audience to persuade them to see the Senators as she does: useless. The diction of the article also adds brings an