Ideological Analyses of America's Moves Towards Its Promise | a Pedagogical Primer on Rhetoric
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Georgia State University ScholarWorks @ Georgia State University English Dissertations Department of English 8-11-2020 America's Quandary-- Masking Injustice: Ideological Analyses of America's Moves Towards its Promise | A Pedagogical Primer on Rhetoric Ronald J. Walker Georgia State University Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.gsu.edu/english_diss Recommended Citation Walker, Ronald J., "America's Quandary-- Masking Injustice: Ideological Analyses of America's Moves Towards its Promise | A Pedagogical Primer on Rhetoric." Dissertation, Georgia State University, 2020. https://scholarworks.gsu.edu/english_diss/241 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Department of English at ScholarWorks @ Georgia State University. It has been accepted for inclusion in English Dissertations by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks @ Georgia State University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. AMERICA’S QUANDARY— <JUSTICE> MASKING INJUSTICE: IDEOLOGICAL ANALYSES OF AMERICA’S MOVES TOWARDS ITS PROMISE | A PEDAGOGICAL PRIMER ON RHETORIC by RONALD JERRY WALKER Under the Direction of George Pullman, PhD, and Elizabeth Sanders Lopez, PhD ABSTRACT Rhetoric, persuasive discourse, and rhetorical analysis, art and science of rhetorical text scrutiny, are invaluable aspects of composition pedagogy. Rhetoric commands our world. This dissertation project manifests four features. First, it reveals America’s promise through rhetorical artifact texts. Second, the project presents an academic investigation—America’s moves towards its promise. Third, it recounts the continuing injustices suffered by women and peoples of color, all hidden behind (rhetorical) masks, that continue to plague America. And fourth, this collection altogether serves as a pedagogical primer on rhetoric. Founding documents and public monuments serve as a ruse that masks injustice and inequality. This is America’s quandary, a reality that unfortunately escapes journalistic focus. Masks enable the American hegemony of sexism, racism, homophobia, xenophobia, and classism to thrive. This nation’s affluent “founders” completely ignored and erased the vast majority of peoples co- inhabiting our boundless lands—millions of indigenous Native American nations; women, not mentioned anywhere among America’s founding documents; abducted African (forced) laborers commanded to toil generational lives, as chattel; and poor whites. Later immigrants, especially peoples of color, would also be denied their “liberty and justice for all.” Today, the USA is World Number One—in obesity, in opioid addiction, in female prison incarceration, in male prison incarceration, in military defense spending, in military weaponry (international spread), and in war (today Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Somalia, Libya, Niger). And in international intrigue (arrogance). America’s quandary is our lack of universal healthcare, the antiquated Electoral College, the rising 1%, the shrinking middle class, the widening gap between America’s rich and poor, and our obsessive desire to police and command the world. This project interrogates rhetoric “to unmask and demystify” America’s rhetorical hegemony of disadvantage and inequality; while America faces a bleak future. We English teachers are First Responders for our culture. Our democratic republic must have—to survive—a committed populace of engaged citizens whose critical thinking, analytical reasoning, and civic responsibility can invigorate American culture. If We are successful, America will be successful; if We fail, America will fail. Perhaps if We could just make America better, all would work out. INDEX WORDS: Rhetorical analysis, Rhetorical devices, Critical thinking, Argument essay AMERICA’S QUANDARY— <JUSTICE> MASKING INJUSTICE: IDEOLOGICAL ANALYSES OF AMERICA’S MOVES TOWARDS ITS PROMISE | A PEDAGOGICAL PRIMER ON RHETORIC by RONALD JERRY WALKER A Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the College of Arts and Sciences Georgia State University 2020 Copyright by Ronald Jerry Walker 2020 AMERICA’S QUANDARY— <JUSTICE> MASKING INJUSTICE: IDEOLOGICAL ANALYSES OF AMERICA’S MOVES TOWARDS ITS PROMISE | A PEDAGOGICAL PRIMER ON RHETORIC by RONALD JERRY WALKER Committee Chairs: George Pullman Elizabeth Sanders Lopez Committee: Baotong Gu Electronic Version Approved: Office of Graduate Services College of Arts and Sciences Georgia State University August 2020 iv DEDICATION This dissertation project is dedicated to Eleanor Jessie Toombs Walker and Henry Winfred Walker, my parents, without whom none of this, my accomplishments, would have been possible. My mother read stories to my younger brothers and me, before we were of school age; I grew to share her enjoyment of reading and writing. My father would also read daily, primarily newspapers but also other materials; I learned from him the importance of attention to detail. My parents, both public school teachers, instilled in me, and my siblings, a joy of learning. Our proud Walker family heritage is public school education: my brothers, my grandparents, my daughter, and my, also, assorted aunts, uncles, and cousins have all been public school teachers. I primarily learned from my parents, the importance of perseverance and having a positive outlook on life. The glass is always half-full; “there are always alternatives” (Mr. Spock, Star Trek). v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS My journey toward this doctorate in English has been very long, but actually, overall, quite enjoyable. My parents instilled in me a joy of learning. And, my instructors here at Georgia State University, I have found to be detailed and dedicated. I am especially appreciative to the three members of my dissertation committee, with each of whom I have enjoyed multiple classes during my tenure here. Dr. Pullman was first to agree to be a part of my committee, and volunteered to serve as my committee chair. I am most appreciative of his positive outlook and early suggestions about my dissertation focus. Dr. Pullman also suggested that I ask Dr. Lopez to join my dissertation committee; I had been somewhat uneasy in my understanding of how and who to approach. Once I determined my topic focus, Dr. Lopez periodically read my submissions and offered suggestions. She has been most accessible whenever I had questions or ideas to pursue. I have been fortunate that my committee members allowed me to determine the focus of my project. For several semesters, I remained undecided about my dissertation topic. But, fortunately, Dr. Gu offered suggestions during one of his classes that provided for me the spark for my dissertation journey. This topic suggestion really has sustained my interest in this project; my interest is such that I could have written hundreds of additional pages. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ..................................................................................................... V A COMMENT ABOUT RHETORIC AND THE RHETORICAL ANALYSIS .................... 1 PURPOSE for rhetorical criticism ............................................................................... 4 DISSERTATION RESEARCH QUESTIONS ........................................................... 10 DISSERTATION THESIS ......................................................................................... 12 RESEARCH PROJECT SIGNIFICANCE ................................................................ 21 PROPOSED METHODOLOGY ................................................................................ 22 PROLOGUE ........................................................................................................................... 34 CHAPTER ONE ..................................................................................................................... 38 A Close Textual Analysis of the Declaration of Independence................................... 39 A Close Textual Analysis of the Preamble to the United States Constitution ............. 43 A Close Textual Analysis of the First Amendment ..................................................... 46 A Close Textual Analysis of the Equal Protection Clause and Due Process Clause .. 48 “The Gettysburg Address”—A Rhetorical Analysis ................................................... 51 General Sherman’s Special Field Order No. 15 ......................................................... 57 “Forty Acres and a Mule”—A Rhetorical Analysis ................................................... 57 Statue of Liberty | ....................................................................................................... 64 Liberty Enlightening the World—A Rhetorical Analysis ........................................... 64 The Flag and The Pledge of Allegiance, including .................................................... 82 Manner of Delivery—An Ideological Analysis ........................................................... 82 FIRST INTERLUDE … SELECTED SONGS OF SOCIAL PROTEST—.......................... 86 RHETORICAL ANALYSES OF FOUR SONGS OF BOB DYLAN.................................... 86 “Blowin’ In The Wind” (1963, 2:46 minutes) .......................................................... 86 “With God On Our Side” (1964, 7:08 minutes) .......................................................... 89 vii “The Lonesome Death Of Hattie Carroll” (1964, 5:47 minutes) ................................ 94 “The Times They Are A-Changin’” (1964, 3:14 minutes).........................................