This past Monday, February
20, 2017, was President's Day. I am sure we could all have expected there to
be some crazed things taking place, given that we are recently under new administration.
Donald Trump has only been our president for about a month now.
Nationwide, many activists
held “Not My President’s Day” rallies, which turned ugly in some places. These
rallies took place in New York, Chicago, LA and many other large cities.
Protestors were chanting things such as “Hey hey, ho ho, Donald Trump has got
to go!” (http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2017/02/20/not-my-presidents-day-rallies/98151790/)
Many people had signs while they rallied, painted on them things such as “NOT my
president” and “Fire up to fire Trump.” Some people dressed in goofy outfits
and some even had giant cut outs of our President. As the rallies got heated
and more intense, the police became involved; tackling aggressive and violent
protestors.
On the other hand,
Trump supporters are planning conservative rallies across the nation, to push
back against the protestors against him. These are said to take place in
Georgia. Debbie Dooley helped organize the events “Spirit of America” which are
in support of President Trump bringing back jobs for Americans. The first rally
is planned to occur on February 25, 2017. Dooley said, “President Trump is
under attack from the left, so we need to show the left we support President
Trump.” (http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2017/02/20/not-my-presidents-day-rallies/98151790/)
The second article
is a direct response to political activism, in support of our President. However,
everyone participating in either rally/protest are on two different sides. Yet
they all went about expressing their views about the election and new
administration in the same way. When comparing the two opposing sides, the
anti-Trump protestors were aggressive and violent, while the pro-Trump
supporters are planning a peaceful rally to express their views on our new
President. Protesting is a great way to express people’s views and opinions.
But sometimes people abuse it, just as the anti-Trump protestors did.
The persuasive
techniques used were visual imagery and emotion. The use of emotion can be seen
by the anti-Trump supporters, through their aggressiveness and determination.
They expressed their views and feelings on the matter so strongly, in hopes to
convince people of the opposing side to alter their own views. By conveying their
side and why they feel the way they do, anyone who does not already agree with
them, will be more likely to sympathize and see their reasoning. Visual imagery
can be seen with they way some protestors dressed and the signs they made to
hold while chanting. Visual imagery is effective, especially in a protest because
it sticks in people’s head. They are more likely to remember things when they
see it. And along with just seeing it, they are hearing it too, from the
protestors chanting. With these two techniques used together, it is more likely
to get the message out and seen.
The demographics
being targeted are young adults; anyone who is new to the political world, or
even just voting, because they have a voice, and want to be heard. Young adults
are the future, so the more involved they are now, the more likely the future
will end up in their favor. If these ant-Trump protestors can get more people
on board, the more likely they are to get their way. The other demographics
being targeted are immigrants. While people are chanting against everything
President Trump stands for, those who it is directed at will become more
enraged and likely to join in.
With the second
protest coming up, said to be a peaceful one, there will be much more for
people to say about the matter. There is always going to be two sides to everything, especially when political views are involved.
There is no doubt that the beginning of this administration has been met with an unprecedented level of public protest - starting with the large-scale, international protest on the Saturday following the Inauguration. Each subsequent protest has been a little less impressive - a little less grandiose - but yet they are covered as evidence of the #resistance movement's power and popularity. You mention only the protests on President's Day (Feb 20) - are they the specific event you will focus on? Or were you inclined to look at the entire #resistance movement as manifest in public protests?
ReplyDeleteCoverage of these protests has run the entire gamut from blatant mockery to seriously equating these protests with the iconic civil rights protests of the late 1960's; and the tone of the coverage would be exactly the sort of competing narratives that our class is meant to focus upon. But these competing storylines are not simply about crowd size or general behavior - but also about the role of the citizen, or the legitimacy of the elected president.
Consider the ways the various news outlets report on protests like these. Yes, protesters will often use signs or do some sort of coordinated chant; and yes, these tactics will serve to magnify the force of the protest. But our class is more concerned with the ways these protests are covered by the professional media. There's a huge distinction between portraying protesters as patriots defending their country against the threat of authoritarianism v. describing protesters against Mr. Trump as whining progressives who were shocked by Hillary Clinton's loss and find themselves unable to deal with the reality.
You have a good basic issue here - but this initial post is a bit underdeveloped. When you discuss the "demographics being targeted," what do you mean? Do you mean the people who might be watching the protests? Or the people who might be reading about them?
Good start here - but still a bit thin. Please let me know how I can help!
With every presidential election it is almost expected for there to be some type of protest. Considering the fact that there are two different sides of politics, there are, without a doubt, going to be some people who disagree with the newly elected president. The protest that followed the inauguration of 2017 was used as evidence of the #resistance movement’s power and popularity, along with many other articles.
ReplyDeleteAs some of the protests are meant in a “mocking” manner, others are meant in the most serious of manners, given the fact that this is the President of the United States we are talking about. This is one thing that people take with the utmost seriousness.
Social media has become a huge outlet for people to express their views and opinions on events around the world, before, during, and even after they are occurring. More specifically the #resistance movement has gotten the majority of it’s publicity through the use of social media such as Twitter, Facebook, and many other forms of social media. Even Instagram has had a huge impact on the political world. With the media, however, comes the Agenda Setting Theory. This is when the media tells us what to think ABOUT, instead of what to think. Depending on the specific article, whether it is left leaning or right leaning, they can manipulate our viewpoints. Concerning the #resistance movement, the approach of citizens response to the presidential election can be seen in two different lights: the left leaning and the right leaning. The movement itself is an effort to resist the legally established government power and to disrupt civil order and stability.
The USA Today article is on the left leaning side. It mentions a protestor by the name of Maria Amoldinado, whose family immigrated to the United States from the Dominican Republic. She attended the rally because of President Trump’s immigration policies. When looking at President Trump’s political standpoint, it not only affects a huge majority of our population, but specifically Maria Amoldinado and her family.
This article is more so on the mockery side. These people are clearly against Trump, and see him not fit for presidency. These people are indeed in support of the #resistance movement. When looking at the chants they chanted and wrote on their signs, they are without a doubt poking fun and belittling the new President of the United States.
The main target of articles regarding the #resistance movement would be the right leaning side. These are the people who are in support of President Trump. When left leaning articles point out all the awful things he is talking about and planning on doing (in their eyes) while in office, the purpose is to highlight those things in hopes that all of the people on the right side of the political spectrum will see the other side and change their opinions. When it comes to political views, people are either one way or the other. There is no in between. The people on the right side will read these articles and whether they realize it or not, be forced to consider the other side and their views and how it affect the whole country.
Be careful of assuming that only two narratives are involved. Consider that there are varied levels of mockery toward Mr. Trump, just as there are some stories to gain support by focusing upon the sort of immigrants and their families who we would admire and relate to.
ReplyDeleteAs these events have receded, their significance has become symbolic for the #resistance. Consider how the news which is geared toward that side of the political spectrum is as focused upon reaffirming the principles of that ideology and the moral superiority of its adherents as it is on disparaging and mocking both Mr. Trump and all who support him. It seems to hardly EVER be focused on the idea of converting those from the other camp; and that's true of either side.
Remember that our class is to focus upon the persuasive strategies as they are deployed by competing narratives. This is not simply about summarizing and comparing the major talking points from each political party, but about recognizing themes and strategies. You suggest that the #resistance movement seeks to "resist the legally established government power and [to] disrupt civil order and stability." That seems to be a very dangerous goal; would the organizers of the "Not My President's Day" rallies, for instance, support the broad disruption of society?
Remember, there are NOT only two types of people when it comes to politics - but that interest groups will always try to form an "us v them" narrative to generate sympathy and encourage the faithful. Good stuff here! Let me know how I can help.