Written with AJ Corral, Kwasi Acquaye, and Melissa Zilinki https://www.cnn.com/2018/02/17/us/florida-student-emma-gonzalez-speech/index.html
Pathos:
- Emma uses emotionally charged language to express the devastation she is feeling and that is clearly demonstrated in the opening of her speech when she says, “Every single person up here today, all these people should be home grieving. But instead we are up here standing together because if all our government and President can do is send thoughts and prayers, then it’s time for victims to be the change that we need to see.”
- In that quotation she appeals to the audience’s ability to sympathize. She stands before the audience, after an incomprehensible trauma, demanding change to be made. She and the other victims are in such a fragile mental state, it would not be expected or required of them to demand this change, but they knew no one else would and they effectively conveyed the desperation they were feeling.
- She experienced this trauma firsthand and for the audience to see her strength, while simultaneously being very vulnerable, was an emotional appeal in itself.
Logos:
- Emma compares the statistics of mass shootings that have recently occurred in the United States’ to Australia and Japan who have taken progressive measures to prevent mass shootings. Australia’s last mass shooting happened in 1996 solidifying their gun laws’ success. However, the U.S. had 693 mass shootings in 2021 alone, averaging 1.89 mass shootings daily. These preventable tragedies resulted in 703 deaths and 2,842 injuries.
Ethos:
- Emma has credibility because she witnessed the event firsthand and was a student at that very high school. She knows the terror of a school shooting firsthand and it is understandable why she wants change and why people are angry that there has been no change to the gun laws.