James Pelosi's Unfair Judgement

In reporter Margaret Talbot’s essay, “Best in Class,” she emphasizes the stress and the increased competition placed on students to reach the top of the class, and whether schools should continue using valedictorians at all. Talbot examines the contest among students is more intense and vigorous than ever before, and the lengths and measures students will now go in order to earn valedictorian. Talbot argues concept of a single valedictorian is a great idea and encourages students to work hard, but the system used to calculate a valedictorian candidate is flawed. To persuasively assert message to her audience, Talbot utilizes specific rhetorical devices and strategies such as using exemplification and hard facts to appeal the audience with logos

An article posted by Washington Post describes the character of Sonia Sotomayor as a role model of aspiration, discipline, commitment, intellectual prowess and integrity. Sonia Sotomayor was raised in a housing project located in the South Bronx, in which she lived with her mother, father, and brother Juan. Sotomayor was born into a Puerto Rican family. At a young age, Sotomayor’s father passed away and she and her brother were left to be raised alone by their mother. Sotomayor used every opportunity growing up to put education on the forefront. The article describes Sotomayor as an individual who has great levels of experience. She has graduates from two of America’s prestigious colleges and has served on the Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. The article uses statements from people who know Sonia Sotomayor personally to convey its message about her. A former classmate of Sotomayor described her as someone who does not get intimidated by anyone and stands up for herself. This is a great characteristic of leadership skills. This article emphasizes the worth and virtue of Sonia Sotomayor

Ellen DeGeneres once said that “Life is like one big Mardi Gras. But instead of showing your boobs, show people your brain, and if they like what they see, you’ll have more beads than you know what to do with and you’ll be drunk, most of the time” (DeGeneres). In the 2009 commencement speech to University of Tulane’s “Katrina Class”, she utilizes devices such as hyperbole, allusions, and rhetorical questions to make the speech effective in achieving her purpose of inspiring her audience of graduating students to be true to themselves by following their own path and passions and to realize that one will have to overcome hurdles to reach one’s idea of success. Even though DeGeneres uses a variety of rhetorical devices, her speech mainly appeals to emotions through comedic anecdotes and witty lines infused throughout the speech.

While becoming a valedictorian can be an honor to those who receive the title, others are debating whether or not valedictorians should continue to exist, or if it should switch from being exclusive to one person in a high school senior class to multiple high-achieving students with similar scores, GPAs, and effort shown throughout their high school tenure. In “Best in Class” by Margaret Talbot, the author emphasizes the idea that having only one valedictorian motivates students due to the prestige associated with the title, as shown through her use of logos and ethos throughout her essay.

Top students across the nation compete for the title of valedictorian each year, although very few actually receive it. Much to the detriment of the students, the competition can become sophomoric and pointless yet remaining intense and cut throat. In her article, “Best In Class”, Margaret Talbot conveys the message that the competition of valedictorian has unfavorable consequences through her use of diction and testimonies.

Most graduates have a lot of stress and worry about their futures, the uncertainty of where they are going or what they will become. Ellen is relatable when she tells the graduates how she didn’t know who shes was, considering that, she was still dating men. Another use of a rhetorical question “But why am I here today?” to introduce an anecdote about her growing up in New Orleans. This question takes the audience’s attention back to her, because, consequently, they know that Ellen will explain why she is there; giving them a reason to listen to her words. Once again, Ellen asks “What else can happen to you?” in order to commend the graduates of having success after the tragedy of Hurricane Katrina. She uses the hyperbole and rhetorical question, “So what I’m saying is, when you’re older, a lot of you will be gay. Anyone writing this stuff down? Parents?” this keeps everybody’s attention and loops the parents into relating the commencement speech to them as well. Rhetorical questions help Ellen by giving the crowd small moments to reflect and invites them into her speech, connecting to them and allowing them to smile during serious content.

Famous actors, musicians, politicians, artists and authors are often called upon to deliver commencement addresses at prestigious places of higher learning. It doesn't take Nobel-Prize-winning social scientists or psychologists, or speech professors to predict what these elite guest speakers will say on such occasions such as these. The speaker will tell the graduating class to aim high, never give up, make the most of opportunities, and do as our forbearers did: pull yourselves up by the bootstraps. But when Oscar-winning actor Tom Hanks showed up at Vassar College to present the commencement address, his presentation avoided those clichés and platitudes. Hanks was refreshing original and yet remarkably pragmatic. This paper critiques Hanks' themes, examines his rhetorical techniques, and editorially analyzes his purpose.

European Rhetoric defines Ethos as “The mode of persuasion [that] deals with the character of the speaker. The intent of the speaker is to appear credible. According to Aristotle there are three prerequisites that are necessary to appear credible: Competence, Good Intention, Empathy” (Ethos). Before Barbara Bush could even take the podium her competence was already brought into question. Her competence became a national issue making headlines in the likes of The New York Times and Newsweek (Clift) such as this New York Times Article from May 4th 1990 which states “The conflict has centered on a protest by 150 Wellesley students who said they were ‘outraged’ by the selection of Mrs. Bush as the graduation speaker. They said she did not represent the type of career woman the college seeks to educate.” due to the fact that “Mrs. Bush dropped out of

Last year, Pelosi said she was only briefed once on the advanced interrogation methods, in September 2002. At the time, Pelosi was the House Minority Whip and top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee. She said in May 2009 that CIA briefers told her that "the use of enhanced interrogation techniques were legal," and added that waterboarding "was not being employed." CIA records show that during the September 2002 briefing, Pelosi and others were given "a description of the particular enhanced interrogation techniques that had been employed" on Zubaydah. The U.S. was already waterboarding Zubaydah by that point.

“Whatever you do, do not name a valedictorian,” remarks Kennedy, a quote in Margaret Talbot’s essay, “Best in Class.” This essay was published in the New Yorker Magazine in June 2005, but it can still be argued today. Talbot uses multiple quotes and sources to persuade her audience that there shouldn’t be any more valedictorians, and I agree. Valedictorians should be eliminated because it creates a division in the school, it’s unfair, and it’s too hard to pick just one student.

For almost two centuries, the system of public education has honored the best and the brightest high school graduates with the honorable titles of valedictorian and salutatorian.Though these titles have been a valued part of graduation for what seem like the entire history of American public schooling, they are under heavy scrutiny as impassioned and angry parents, as well as their hardworking students, attack the idea of only recognizing one or two of the class’s most talented seniors. In “Best in Class”, reporter Margaret Talbot challenges the traditional system of choosing a single valedictorian by by exposing the emotional opposition to the system’s change or preservation; her use of emotional dialogue as well as far less emotional, far more objective writing style allows Talbot to emphasize specific ideas and opinions with syntax to avoid confrontation, while simultaneously establishing that it is time for the traditional system of valedictory to change.

The truth is Mr.Donleavy only wants the votes of the people he could care less about the graduation which can easily identify in the passage.”Our speaker tonight, who is also our friend, came from Texarkana to deliver the commencement address, but due to the irregularity of the train schedule, he’s going to, as they say, “speak and run.” Mr.Donleavy was an evil villain in this story or more like a stormy cloud that rained on everyone’s parade. “The man’s dead words fell like bricks around the auditorium and too many settled in my belly.” “....... but to my left and right, the proud graduating class of 1940 had dropped their heads.” “Every girl in my row had found something new to do with her handkerchief.” This PROUD graduating class had their happiness taken from them in an instant not only

Pride had also entered into her character as she explained her smiling soreness, as she "had taken to smiling more often and [her] jaws hurt from the unaccustomed activity;" (835). "As a member of the winning team (the graduating class of 1940)" (835) she was moving headfirst toward the future. It was obvious that she was delighted that she had accumulated a plethora of achievements displayed with colored stars on the bulletin board. Even though Henry Reed had been awarded valedictorian, "instead of being disappointed [she] was pleased that [they] shared top honors" (836). A sense of approval flowed though her and she was genuinely and deservedly happy; "she was headed for the freedom of open fields" (835).

Lady Justice has regularly been delineated wearing a blindfold. The blindfold speaks to objectivity, in that justice is or ought to be distributed dispassionately, without dread or support, paying little mind to cash, riches, influence, or character; blind justice and unbiasedness. In alternate pictures she is depicted in an alternate race and the foundation in every one of the photos speaks to the distinctive segments in the justice system and it statures the significance's of equity through (the scales) which speak to that Lady Justice attentive measures the cases of each side. They are alluded as the scale of justice'

This review concludes that despite Donna Dubinsky’s stellar education as a Yale graduate and a Harvard MBA she completely