Edward Snowden Traitor

Washington Post data writer, Dylan Matthews, in his article, No, Edward Snowden Probably Didn’t Commit Treason, asserts his belief that Edward Snowden did not commit treason by releasing that information, according to the law. Matthews’ purpose is to inform and persuade by explaining that according to what the law says and what actual cases of treason show, Snowden is not a traitor is to the general public. Matthews created an effective argument presenting his belief that Snowden is not a traitor through the use of Ethos, Logos, and strong diction. Matthews uses ethical appeals that establish credibility for the author’s argument, as rhetorical appeal also known as Ethos. By using this rhetorical strategy, Matthews effectively establishes a basis for his argument while establishing his credibility and involving other credible sources. Involving other sources adds complexity to the argument and bring counter viewpoints into the argument. He involves Constitutional beliefs to show that “Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving the Aid and Comfort” (pg. 1) showcasing that Snowden’s actions differ from those of Treason. Matthews then goes on to provide true examples of treason that are seen in “John …show more content…
By using these different rhetorical devices, Matthews successfully presented his argument to the audience. The argument has credibility, logic, and strong words that make the reader carefully consider what he was trying to say. It showed the reader that just because people are patriotic and have an opinion does not make it right to jump to conclusions. Because of this Matthew uses these rhetorical devices to persuade and inform the audience that what Snowden did was not treason by law, and therefore we must approach the situation the correct