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Persuasive Essay On Gun Culture

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The discussion revolving around firearms in the United States has been a long-debated issue. With events such as the 2017 Las Vegas mass shootings becoming frequent, the existence of a gun culture within American society has become a topic of major concern. Within his news analysis Gun Culture and the American Nightmare of Violence, Henry Giroux suggests that gun culture in the USA is highly reflective of a political atmosphere which supports the idea of violence. On the other hand, Alia Dastagir’s article The Gun Debate Isn't About What You Think seeks to demonstrate how American gun culture is a reflection of the public perception of firearms. In order to successfully argue their theories, Giroux and Dastagir utilize different strategies to convince their respective audiences. While Giroux relies heavily on logos and pathos to appeal towards an educated leftist audience, Dastagir structures her argument around ethos and pathos to persuade a more extensive audience.

Throughout his analysis, Giroux utilizes logos in order to support his argument. Such is noted when he writes “one child under 12 years old has been killed every other day by firearm” (Giroux). By utilizing statistics, Giroux is able to bring an element of validity into his argument. Furthermore, the decision to use data that evokes elements of pathos helps further emphasize the statistics impact on the reader. Logos is also demonstrated through Giroux’s usage of multiple sources which range from “data

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