Over the years, innocent lives have been taken by bullets. Although, death by gun is not the number one cause of death. Gun violence is still an issue. That is why I have chosen to analyze the rhetorical situation within two videos, Brave New Voices “Shots Fired” and Sandy Hook Promise: Gun Violence Warning Signs. By appealing to pathos, ethos, and kairos both videos claim that gun violence is an unexpected encounter that can be prevented.
In 2014 at the Brave New Voices Finals the Los Angeles Team said a powerful poem called “Shots Fired”. Brave New Voices is an event by the organization Youth Speaks, which is a spoken word, education, and youth development program. The purpose of the Los Angeles Team’s performance was to make people aware of the innocent lives taken by gun violence. However, the poem was meant for the people with guns and the people that have lost a loved one to bullets.
The appeal that is utilized the most in the Sandy Hook Promise video is kairos. The video uses this appeal, because of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. The author also uses pathos in the video. In the beginning, the music played makes the audience feel calm and the actions portrayed makes them feel curious enough to keep watch. However, towards the end the video overwhelms the audience with a sense of shock and sadness. Using both of these appeals the Sandy Hook Promise hopes to persuade the viewer to help prevent gun violence, by recognizing the warning signs.
The rhetorical appeal used most in the Brave New Voices video is pathos. The sense of sorrow demonstrated in the video can make the audience feel sad. The words said throughout performance, as well as the tone of their voices, really reels the audience in. In which, pathos is used throughout the poem. Ethos is also used throughout the video. Each person states a name of one on the victims of a shooting, which as a big impact on the audience. The Los Angeles team of the Brave New Voices Final used these appeals to inform the audience of the lives taken by gun violence.
In 2016 Sandy Hook Promise made a video named “Gun Violence Warning Signs” to prevent shootings. Sandy Hook Promise is an organization that help to prevent gun violence, it was made after the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting. The motivation of the video was the shooting that happened at the Sandy Hook Elementary school, in Newtown, Connecticut. The video was meant for the people, to emphasize the signs of gun violence. However, the targeted audience was the student, teacher, staff, and parents at Sandy Hook Elementary.
In conclusion, both videos use pathos to grab the audience's attention. Sandy Hook uses kairos to inform the viewer of the shooting event, while Brave New Voices uses ethos to inform them of the lives taken. Both the Sandy Hook Promise and the Brave New Voices Los Angeles Team videos used the rhetorical appeals and situation help prevent and stop gun violence.
Citations
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qyD7vjVfLI&list=PL40wa2qCF-zJuPV3aNiuvawZCduswi0oD&index=3 - Sandy Hook Promise
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3YRJl2DjtM&list=PL40wa2qCF-zJuPV3aNiuvawZCduswi0oD&index=2 - Brave New Voices Finals
http://youthspeaks.org/bravenewvoices/ Oct.6, 2017
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Without Democracy, Donald Trump’s Venezuelan Oil Quest Will Fail
The lure of Venezuelan oil has long been irresistible to global powers. With some of the largest proven oil reserves in the world, the South American nation represents both enormous wealth and complex geopolitical challenges. For Donald Trump, whose approach to foreign policy often blends economic opportunism with bold rhetoric, Venezuela’s oil has been a tantalizing target. Yet, despite his aggressive strategies and public declarations, the reality is clear: without democracy, Trump’s Venezuelan oil ambitions are likely to fail. Oil, Power, and Politics: The Venezuelan Context Venezuela’s oil sector is inextricably linked with its political landscape. Once a booming oil exporter, the country has faced decades of mismanagement, corruption, and authoritarian rule. Under leaders like Hugo Chávez and Nicolás Maduro, the state-controlled oil industry, managed by Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA), became a central instrument of political control. Trump’s administration repeatedly emphasized using sanctions, diplomatic pressure, and even the prospect of regime change to gain leverage over Venezuela. The underlying assumption is straightforward: by destabilizing the government or promoting a more U.S.-friendly leadership, access to oil reserves would follow. However, this strategy encounters a fundamental problem: without a functioning democratic system, there is no reliable mechanism to guarantee stability, transparency, or fair contracts in the oil sector. Authoritarian regimes often operate on loyalty rather than merit, and economic opportunities are frequently distributed through patronage networks. In such an environment, Trump’s promises or incentives could quickly be undermined by internal power struggles or corruption. The Limits of Sanctions Sanctions have been a cornerstone of U.S. policy toward Venezuela. The idea is simple: pressure the regime economically to force political concessions or create openings for change. While sanctions can cripple state finances and limit access to international markets, they rarely produce immediate regime collapse. Instead, they often strengthen authoritarian leaders’ grip, as governments rally nationalistic sentiment against perceived foreign interference. For Trump, this meant that even aggressive sanctions could not guarantee access to Venezuela’s oil. Without democratic institutions—free elections, independent judiciary, accountable governance—any oil deals risk becoming transactional rather than sustainable. In other words, a U.S.-backed leader could secure an oil contract today but face domestic resistance tomorrow, rendering the arrangement fragile and unreliable. Democracy as a Stabilizing Force Democracy provides mechanisms that authoritarian regimes lack. Transparent governance, checks and balances, and legal accountability create predictability in business dealings. For multinational companies and foreign governments, this stability is critical. In Venezuela, decades of democratic erosion have led to erratic policy decisions, frequent expropriations, and unpredictable regulatory environments. Trump’s oil ambitions, rooted in traditional business logic, clash with this reality. No amount of negotiation can fully mitigate the risks posed by a system where political survival often trumps economic rationality. History provides stark lessons. In countries where democracy is weak, oil wealth has often led to corruption, conflict, and economic collapse—a phenomenon known as the “resource curse.” Conversely, nations with strong institutions can leverage oil reserves to build sustainable wealth, attract foreign investment, and maintain political stability. Trump’s approach, which prioritizes short-term gains over institutional development, underestimates the necessity of democratic foundations. The Geopolitical Dimension U.S. ambitions in Venezuela do not operate in a vacuum. Russia, China, and other international actors have substantial influence in Caracas, providing both economic and military support to Maduro’s government. These alliances complicate U.S. efforts to access oil resources. Without democratic legitimacy, any intervention is likely to provoke geopolitical resistance, further limiting Trump’s options. Moreover, Venezuelan citizens themselves play a critical role. Over 7 million people have fled the country in recent years, driven by economic collapse and political repression. Any U.S. strategy that ignores public sentiment risks backlash, both locally and internationally. Democracy, by its very nature, requires engagement with citizens’ interests and demands, something authoritarian governments—and by extension, Trump’s transactional approach—often overlook. The Pitfalls of Personalistic Leadership Trump’s style of leadership, characterized by bold statements and personal negotiation, clashes with the structural realities of Venezuela. In authoritarian systems, deals depend on the whims of a few individuals rather than institutional norms. One change in leadership or a shift in loyalty can invalidate months of negotiation. In a democratic context, agreements are more resilient. Laws, regulatory frameworks, and independent institutions provide continuity, ensuring that commitments outlast a single leader. Trump’s reliance on personalistic leverage rather than systemic stability reduces the likelihood of successful, long-term oil access in Venezuela. Lessons for U.S. Policy The central lesson is clear: energy ambitions cannot succeed in isolation from political reality. Accessing Venezuelan oil requires more than coercive measures or diplomatic theatrics; it requires an environment where contracts can be enforced, policies are predictable, and political transitions are peaceful. Democracy—or at least steps toward accountable governance—is a prerequisite for these conditions. Trump’s Venezuela strategy demonstrates the limits of relying solely on authoritarian pressure or personal influence. Without addressing the structural issues of governance, economic mismanagement, and citizen engagement, oil wealth remains a distant prize. In essence, the pursuit of Venezuelan oil is inseparable from the pursuit of democratic legitimacy. Conclusion Donald Trump’s Venezuelan oil quest embodies the intersection of ambition, power, and geopolitics. While the allure of Venezuela’s vast reserves is undeniable, the absence of democratic structures makes this pursuit inherently fragile. Authoritarianism, corruption, and political instability create risks that personalistic leadership and aggressive policies cannot fully overcome. For the U.S., the lesson is not merely about oil—it is about the necessity of supporting institutions that promote transparency, accountability, and citizen engagement. Without these foundations, the pursuit of Venezuelan oil is likely to remain an unfulfilled dream, no matter how forcefully it is pursued. In the end, democracy is not just a political ideal; it is a practical requirement for sustainable international energy strategy.
By Muhammad Hassana day ago in The Swamp
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