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Laura Lubin ENC 3331 May 25,2012 Rhetorical Citizenship and My Sponsors

What is rhetoric? The word is thrown around all the time; however, we never really stop to think where it comes from. In history, rhetoric has been referred to as the art of persuasion. For example, when someone asks a question, only to cut off your response with, that was a rhetorical question, what they are truthfully saying is the question was there to persuade you, and that it really required no answer. The definition of rhetoric has changed throughout history. Even rhetoricians and philosophers argue different meanings of the word. The study of rhetoric dates as far back as almost 500BC. In ancient times rhetoric was used for public debates, to resolve disputes, and to mediate public discussion on central issues. Aristotle, one of the most famous philosophers to study rhetoric, defined it as the power of finding the available arguments suited to a given situation (Crowley and Hawhee 1). Rhetoric was used as a tool to help people choose the best course of action when they disagreed about important concerns like politics, religion, or society. It was a cleaver method to control chaos and hostility with the members of the community. Arguments and debates will be around as long as people have opinions and a way to voice or express them. Rhetoricians say that they invented it so that they would have a way of critiquing and judging whose beliefs and outlooks were most truthful, practical, or valuable. In the writings of Crowley and Hawhee, they state If people didnt argue then rhetoric wouldnt be necessary. But they do, and it is (Crowley and Hawhee 2). If there was no arguing then there would be no passion for anything. Can you imagine political elections without debate? Politician A: Vote for me.

Lubin 2 Politician B: Vote for me. We need to know why we should choose one candidate over the other. Arguing is just a way of life; it is inevitable. Another example would be advertising. When youre at a store and youre down the deodorant isle choosing which one to buy, you read the labels to see which one is going to be the best choice for you. Do you need the one for antiperspirant or anti-odor? Do you need the one with both? Or do you just see the one that says NEW! and go for that one? Then there are times when rhetoric doesnt even necessarily need words for an argument. It can also persuade you visually. For example, youre back at the deodorant isle. This time you dont even read the labels. You choose one because you are attracted and drawn to the brand with the pretty, colorful designs. Advertisers are the masters of silent persuasion. They design, test, and create products geared toward the individual. Often times before you have made your selection, the brand has already picked you. Rhetoric is the art to persuade, influence, convince, motivate, or communicate an idea. Rhetoric can be written or oral. It can be visual, like advertising or fashion. It can be nonverbal like hand gestures, body language, or even refusing to talk, which also conveys a message. All of these tools are also used in the political arena and citizenship. When I think of citizenship these are the words that come to mind: social, community, politics, public service, and volunteering. However, the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching defines citizenship as, The participation in political or community affairs, regardless of the participants legal status (1). While reading Higher Education: Civic Mission and Civic Effects, there were two words that were continuously said: civic and participants. Educators believe that colleges and universities need to teach their students about

Lubin 3 citizenship and its significance. The Carnegie Foundation states that Colleges and universities have a civic mission, one being that they be good institutional citizens that serve their communities (2). Citizenship education is not a new matter. It came about between 1880 and 1945. American universities participated in a broader cultural movement called the modernist movement (2). These modernists supported choice, individualism, critical distance, and scientific research. Then from 1945-1960, critics deemed the concern with citizenship in schools to be normative and unscientific. In the early 1960s, the civic mission resurfaced and student campus protests led to service-learning, which combined community-service with academic learning. Writers like Amy J. Wan stress the importance of volunteering among college students. She believes civic engagement education will help influence the future. but what often goes unarticulated in these configurations is how writing skills and other literal practices actually make citizens- that is, what kinds of citizens we hope to cultivate when we talk about citizenship in relation to literacy (Wan 29). These civic courses help students become concerned with environmental responsibilities, racial understanding, and even politics. Researchers are looking towards the future of civic engagement as well. The education of citizenship in colleges and universities is essential if we want to continue to promote equality and the freedom of speech. After defining both rhetoric and citizenship, I realized that the two terms Rhetoric go hand in hand. If you are an active member of your community, then youre arguing and voicing your concerns. Rhetoric is about using persuasion to convey a message and citizenship requires those methods when trying to advocate something to the community. Examples of these associations can be seen in rallies, petitions, voting and protesting. On any given day, many different kinds of protesting and petitioning are taking place on the University of Central Florida

Lubin 4 campus. When I have time, I will stop and listen to what the students are arguing about and see if there is something I can do to help out. Rhetorical citizenship is responsible for the changes we have made throughout time. Without it there would be no revolutionizing or adjustments in society. There are people in your life who have inspired and motivated you to be a better person and you may not even notice it. When I think back I realize a lot of people have been sponsors to me in my life. Merely just suggesting I do some types of community service or helping them raise money for a cause, but there are two people in my life who have helped me the most and they are my neurologists Leanne Kunkle and my mother Karen Lubin. My first sponsor would have to be my neurologist Leanne Kunkle. She is a neurologist at the Dan Marino Childrens Hospital in South Florida. After being diagnosed with epilepsy (seizure disorder), I was sent to Dr.Kunkle. After having my second seizure I went through a very rough time. I had my license revoked for 6 months, I couldnt stay out late with my friends, I couldnt even go swimming without supervision. Basically, at a time in life when I should have been gaining my independence, I had the complete opposite happen to me. On top of it all, I was put on a seizure medication that completely changed my personality. I felt alone and misunderstood. After expressing to Kunkle how I felt, she first changed my medication, and then thought it was a good idea to get me involved with other people who knew what I was going through. She gave me all the names of people, websites, scholarships, and programs that I should contact. I joined a club called Women With Epilepsy. We would have workshops once a month where we would listen to inspirational stories told by women who are afflicted with epilepsy or women who are affected by someone they know who has it. I also joined the Epilepsy Foundation of

Lubin 5 Florida, where I helped by raising $300 for the Walk for Epilepsy fundraiser they hold once a year. She helped me so much by connecting me with a community of people who I could learn from and commiserate with. My second sponsor is my mom. She has inspired and motivated me my whole life to be a better person and citizen. My mom is a huge animal person, and ever since I can remember she has always taken me to animal shelters or animal rehabilitation centers to help out in any way. With her influence, I never leave an animal shelter without donating at least $5. My mother has always been the one to update me on everything that is happening in our community. She works for the Broward County School District and is very active and educated about anything that is going on concerning the changes to the school board. She was also the Steward of the Broward County Teachers Union, which is a program run by county lawyers that protects the educators and employees of schools from getting mistreated. She also is not afraid to contact state politicians if she has a concern. For example, when my grandmother applied to live in a local nursing home, they said there was no more room and she had to wait. After waiting almost six months my mother contacted the states governor Charlie Crist, with her concern and within two weeks my grandmother was living in the home. My mom always tells me to speak up if I ever feel it is necessary to. She is definitely a role model when it comes to civic engagement and citizenship. If it wasnt for rhetoric then there would never be a united citizenship. Rhetorical citizenship has protected us on a small and large scale. From helping out our communities to making sure there is justice in the national government. Change is never a bad thing and in order to keep those changes managed and agreeable, then we should continue to all be participants in civic engagement.

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Works Cited Crowley, and Higher Education: Civic Mission and Civic Effects. Higher Education: Civic Mission and Civic Effects. Stanford, CA: 2006. 8. Print.

Lubin 7 Wan, Amy J. In the Name of Citizenship: The Writing Classroom and the Promise of Citizenship. College English 74.1 (2011): 28-49