Weekly News GRASPS, October 19: Reshaping America

Please read the following op-ed by Bono, lead singer of the music group U2:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/18/opinion/18bono.html?em=&pagewanted=print

I would like you to comment on the following elements of this article: What is the SUBJECT, who is the SPEAKER, and what ARGUMENT is he making? Please provide 2- 3 quotes from the article to support your statements.

Think about this in terms of the "American Dream" and the promise of what America represents to other countries....

Weekly Newspaper Posting, Week of October 13th

Please read the following op-ed regarding President Obama's recent win of the Nobel Prize for Peace and Diplomacy.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/10/opinion/10sat1.html?_r=1&sq=the%20peace%20prize&st=cse&adxnnl=1&scp=1&adxnnlx=1255458415-YNCpsgLmFoh75DDDd7p1YA

In your posting, analyze the rhetorical triangle for this article: Who is the SPEAKER, the AUDIENCE, the PURPOSE, the TOPIC and the THESIS in the article.

Next, make an argument if YOU think Obama has earned the Nobel Prize...why or why not? Defend your argument with EVIDENCE/EXAMPLES.

Future Nobel Peace Prize Winning Members of the Class of 2010

Weekly Newspaper GRASPS, Week of October 5th

In last week's New York Times magazine, writer Benoit Lewis covered the challenges facing students who are "coming out in middle school". In the story, the writer interviews various students who are openly gay/homosexual at school, from the angle that students are braving harassment and misunderstanding on the part of their peers, in order to be themselves.

Please print and read, MAKE SURE YOU ANNOTATE, the following article:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/27/magazine/27out-t.html

The assignment is for you to pull one quote from the text that you think is significant, or hits you. Something the author says, maybe a quote from a student, etc. Please type up the quote in your post and explain why you chose it, and answer the following question:

*Is the author accomplishing a form of rhetorical appeal with your quote? If so, explain. If not, what do you think the author IS trying to accomplish?

**NOTE: This article is 9 pages!! Don't only read the first page!!!

Weekly News GRASPS of September 28, 2009: Visual Arguments

Source: The Huffington Post

Take a look at the protest sign above. We have been discussing several national, international and local current events issues that have been making an impact on the Obama Presidency, such as health care reform, the economy, the war in Afghanistan and education. Based on recent events in the news (Hint: think Video Music Awards), is this sign making an argument? If so, please discuss the rhetorical triangle: what is the topic/subject, who is the intended audience, who do we THINK the speaker is, and what is the tone?

**Bonus points for home creation of counter-argument protest sign...:-)