The viewpoints held by persuasive writers are often different from each other’s, sometimes even polar opposites, but the one thing all persuasive writing has in common is the use of rhetorical appeals. Ethos, logos, and pathos help authors convince readers of a point using credibility to impress the reader, reason and logic, and emotion to appeal to the reader’s sympathy. However, overuse of certain appeals can lead to an unreliable argument. Logos is the most reliable, as logos depends on facts, but information may still be twisted. Ethos deals with the credibility of the author, publisher, or a source from the writing, but sometimes credentials can blind readers; just because someone is an expert in a subject does not mean he or she is infallible.
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Religion is a common tactic used to both demonize abortion and gain empathy from religious readers. The article “10 Reasons Why Abortion is Evil & Not a ‘Pro-Choice’”, written by and on the website of the TFP Student Action group, lists the number one reason for abortion being wrong as, “Abortion Offends God”. Is this a solid argument that could be used in a legal case against abortion? Absolutely not, but this bold line still hooks religious readers and further convinces them of the author 's point. Another popular strategy of the anti-abortion groups is scare tactics. A prime example is the website Priests For Life, which boasts “Aborted Baby Images” and even offers readers a chance to “See a video of an abortion procedure”. Although few may actually visit this page, simply the idea of such horrific images is enough to make readers most uncomfortable. A few readers may become so uncomfortable that their previous stance on abortion changes. However, this same website includes a section with the purpose of helping pregnant women. The offer of help to the women caught in the crossfire of this debate adds compassion to Priest For Life’s cause, despite the page offering minimal assistance. Anti-abortion groups truly can play both sides, from strengthening the support of those who agree or gaining support from those …show more content…
The most popular tactic is the emphasis placed on the choice of the pregnant woman. Pro-choice sources attempt to empathize with the women, proving that their choices should be their own, not the government’s. Case in point: the first sentence on the National Abortion Rights Action League’s website is, “We believe that women should have the option to choose abortion”. A favored method on both sides of the argument is the use of testimonies, however, pro-choice sources seem to utilize such stories more often. The National Abortion Rights Action League provides a specific section for “Our Voices” where readers are allowed to discover experiences of others and even share their own. The best example of a testimonial is Mary Elizabeth Williams’ article “Face it, anti-abortion advocates: Pro-choice is pro-life” on Salon. Williams’ article begins with the story of a fellow journalist who, after discovering that her child would be born with a fatal disorder, faced intense resistance in her journey to have an abortion. Williams uses the popular pro-choice rhetoric of supporting women’s right to make choices about their own bodies, saying, “I firmly believe that a woman should never have to justify or fight for choices regarding her own bodily autonomy.” This is a comforting statement and, paired with the sad story of the journalist, creates a moving
Religion is a common tactic used to both demonize abortion and gain empathy from religious readers. The article “10 Reasons Why Abortion is Evil & Not a ‘Pro-Choice’”, written by and on the website of the TFP Student Action group, lists the number one reason for abortion being wrong as, “Abortion Offends God”. Is this a solid argument that could be used in a legal case against abortion? Absolutely not, but this bold line still hooks religious readers and further convinces them of the author 's point. Another popular strategy of the anti-abortion groups is scare tactics. A prime example is the website Priests For Life, which boasts “Aborted Baby Images” and even offers readers a chance to “See a video of an abortion procedure”. Although few may actually visit this page, simply the idea of such horrific images is enough to make readers most uncomfortable. A few readers may become so uncomfortable that their previous stance on abortion changes. However, this same website includes a section with the purpose of helping pregnant women. The offer of help to the women caught in the crossfire of this debate adds compassion to Priest For Life’s cause, despite the page offering minimal assistance. Anti-abortion groups truly can play both sides, from strengthening the support of those who agree or gaining support from those …show more content…
The most popular tactic is the emphasis placed on the choice of the pregnant woman. Pro-choice sources attempt to empathize with the women, proving that their choices should be their own, not the government’s. Case in point: the first sentence on the National Abortion Rights Action League’s website is, “We believe that women should have the option to choose abortion”. A favored method on both sides of the argument is the use of testimonies, however, pro-choice sources seem to utilize such stories more often. The National Abortion Rights Action League provides a specific section for “Our Voices” where readers are allowed to discover experiences of others and even share their own. The best example of a testimonial is Mary Elizabeth Williams’ article “Face it, anti-abortion advocates: Pro-choice is pro-life” on Salon. Williams’ article begins with the story of a fellow journalist who, after discovering that her child would be born with a fatal disorder, faced intense resistance in her journey to have an abortion. Williams uses the popular pro-choice rhetoric of supporting women’s right to make choices about their own bodies, saying, “I firmly believe that a woman should never have to justify or fight for choices regarding her own bodily autonomy.” This is a comforting statement and, paired with the sad story of the journalist, creates a moving