Y11 Mainstream English
Argument Analysis – Black Lives Matter
Lessons 1-9
Name: ______________________________________
Teacher: DILG / DIMR / ELLC / GADK
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Pre-reading – The Turning L10 Homework
Complete Tasks 1, 2 and 3.
Task 1: Read the information below and take KPAS notes in the space provided.
A Brief History of Black Lives in America
Slavery began in the Western Hemisphere in the early
1500s with early Spanish settlers exploiting the native
populations of the Caribbean and South America;
however, due to disease and hardship, these groups
were rapidly annihilated. Thus, the Spanish turned to
Africa, where there was an established slave market.
With an increased global demand for sugar, tobacco
and cotton – all of which grew plentifully in America –
many Africans were shipped to America to work on
plantations as they were a cheap source of labour.
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Soon after, the American civil rights moment entered its
prime. The civil rights movement was a mass
popular movement to allow African Americans equal
access to and opportunities for the basic privileges
and rights of U.S. citizenship. Although the roots of
the movement go back to the 19th century, it peaked in
the 1950s and 1960s. African American men and women,
along with whites, organized and led the movement at
national and local levels. They pursued their goals through
legal means, negotiations, petitions, and nonviolent
protest demonstrations. The civil rights movement was
largest social movement of the 20th century in the United
States. The Civil Rights Movement It influenced the
modern women's rights movement and
the student movement of the 1960s.
The civil rights movement centred on the American South.
That was where the African American population was
concentrated and where racial inequality in education,
economic opportunity, and the political and legal
processes was most blatant. Beginning in the late 19th
century, state and local governments passed segregation
laws, known as Jim Crow laws; they also imposed
restrictions on voting qualifications that left
the black population economically and politically
powerless. The movement therefore addressed primarily
three areas of discrimination: education, social
segregation, and voting rights.
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What is Black Lives Matter?
Black Lives Matter is an international activist movement that
began in 2013 after white American George Zimmerman was
found not guilty of fatally shooting African American teen
Treyvon Martin.
17-year-old Martin had been out to a 7-11 to buy snacks one
night in February, 2012, and was walking home from the store
when he was noticed by Zimmerman, the head of
neighbourhood watch in the area. Zimmerman called the nonemergency police line to report a ‘suspicious person’. He then
proceeded to follow Martin around in his car, driving slowly
behind him at a moderate distance, despite the police
dispatch worker asking him not to. Zimmerman ended the call
to police after seeing Martin start to run away from him.
Shortly after the call was ended, there was an altercation
between the two that ended with Zimmerman fatally shooting
Martin.
Many in the African American community believed that the
shooting was discriminatory and that if Zimmerman had seen
a white teenager that night, he would not have acted the
same way – in fact, he might have barely even noticed a white
teenager at all. However, whilst the crime itself was terrible, it
was the aftermath that created the groundswell of support for
the Black Lives Matter movement. Shocked by the obscene
injustice of George Zimmerman’s acquittal, people turned to
social media to share their anger and grief.
The hashtag #BlackLivesMatter quickly started to trend, with
hundreds of thousands of African Americans sharing their
stories of police brutality and unfair treatment in court and
prison systems. In 2014, Black Lives Matter were widely
recognised for their street demonstrations following the
deaths of three more African Americans at the hands of police:
Michael Brown, an 18 year old who was shot 6 times by a
police officer and subsequently died; Eric Garner, a 43 year old
man who was held in a headlock by a police officer until he
suffocated to death; and Tamir Rice, a 12 year old boy who
was playing in a park when a police officer drove up and shot
him twice, and subsequently died.
Black Lives Matter seeks to end police brutality and unlawful
police killings, and to ensure that African American people are
properly protected by the law and the justice system. Black
Lives Matter supports a concept called ‘intergenerationality’,
which describes the connections and interactions between
generations of families and communities. This reflects that
African Americans feel that they have been disadvantaged
across generations, so they look to rectify this for future
generations. The movement has branches all across the world,
including Australia.
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Black Lives in Modern America: facts and figures
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African Americans constitute 13% of the American population.
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African Americans constitute 34% of the prison population of America.
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45.8 % of young African Americans children (under age 6) live in poverty, compared to 14.5% of white
children.
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The average African American household earns $36,000 compared to the $59,000 household income of
white Americans.
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35% of African Americans children grades 7-12 have been suspended or expelled at some point in their
school careers compared to 20% of Hispanics and 15% of Caucasians.
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African Americans people accounted for 27% of the people killed by law enforcement officers in 2017. Of
the unarmed victims of police violence, blacks made up 37%, almost three times their percentage of the
U.S. population (13%).
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Of the people who were unarmed and not attacking, but were still killed by police, 35% were African
Americans.
Task 2: Answer the following questions in full sentences.
1. In your own words, what do you think the Black Lives Matter movement stands for?
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2. Why might some feel that the BLM is simply a continuation of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s &
1960s?
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3. Why is the movement so active on social media?
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4. Why is it important that the movement supports ‘intergenerationality’?
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5. The BLM movement has been controversial and not everyone agrees with their message. Why might
someone oppose BLM?
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Task 3: Answer the following questions in note form using the images provided.
1. What do these images suggest about the movement’s goals?
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2. What do these images tell us about the movement’s appeal?
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3. What do these images suggest about the movement’s tactics?
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Lesson 0
Learning Intention: _____________________________________________________________________
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The issue – Background
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Black Lives Matter (BLM) is an international activist movement, originally started in African-American
communities, which seeks to end violence and systemic racism against black people.
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The movement gained significant exposure in 2013 under the hastag #BlackLivesMatter after George
Zimmerman was acquitted for fatally shooting 17-year-old African-American teen Treyvon Martin.
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After a string of highly publicised incidents involving police brutality, including the events of the Ferguson
Uprising, the movement achieved international notoriety.
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The BLM website claims that they support diversity, globalism, empathy, restorative justice, and
intergenerationality.
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All three founders – Patrisse Cullors, Alicia Garza and Opal Tometi – are women, with two openly
identifying as gay. The movement has also champions black LGBQTI+ causes.
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They sanction non-violent protests.
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Their protests aim to make people feel uncomfortable with the racial status quo. They hold rallies and are
extremely active on social-media.
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BLM are not an exclusively African-American organization – it is multiracial.
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International branches exist across the world, including Australia.
Controversy
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The BLM movement argues for police reformation in order to end unnecessary violence and
discrimination against African Americans.
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All Lives Matter criticises the BLM movement, purporting that all lives are equally at risk. All Lives Matter
argues that the focus on black people ignores the needs of other minorities, such as LGBTQIA+ or disabled
people.
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Blue Lives Matter is a countermovement that contends that the BLM movement encourages violence
against police and emergency personnel. Blue Lives Matter has attempted – and in some states,
succeeded – to have violence against police officers recognised as a hate crime.
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1. What does Ivanka Trump’s tweet suggest about the issue?
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2. What does her language suggest about the BLM movement?
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Task: Complete the following sentences.
The Black Lives Matter movement argues for racial equality because _________________________________
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The Black Lives Matter movement argues for racial equality but _____________________________________
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The Black Lives Matter movement argues for racial equality so ______________________________________
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Pre-reading – The Turning L11 Homework
Complete Tasks 1, 2 and 3.
Task 1: Read the information below and take KPAS notes in the space provided.
Counter-movements: the origins of Blue Lives Matter
In 2014, Michael Brown was fatally shot by a police officer in
Ferguson, Missouri.
Brown, an 18-year-old African-American male, was shot to
death after an encounter with Officer Darren Wilson, who
was called after a robbery and assault was reported in a
nearby convenience store describing Brown (later identified
as Brown from security cameras). Officer Wilson's account
was that when he attempted to question Brown, he was
attacked. There was a struggle; Brown attempting and
almost succeeding in gaining possession of Officer Wilson's
weapon. Due to the struggle the weapon discharged, slightly
wounding Brown, who then fled. Wilson gave brief chase
firing upon Brown, ultimately shooting and killing him when
Brown turned to confront him and, upon Wilson's account,
charged at him. The officer was a 28-year-old white
male Ferguson police officer. After several months of
deliberation, a grand jury decided not to indict Officer
Wilson for any criminal charges in relation to the incident.
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The police response to the shooting was heavily criticized.
Whilst acknowledging that Brown had committed a crime,
the black community in Ferguson felt that Officer Wilson
should not have used lethal force and that shooting Brown
was unjustified. What unfolded after the shooting was an
event colloquially referred to as the ‘Ferguson Uprising’.
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On August 9, the evening of the shooting, residents had
created a makeshift memorial of flowers and candles in the
spot where Brown had died. At one stage, an unidentified
policeman allowed their dog to urinate on the memorial and
police vehicles later crushed the memorial by purposefully
driving over it. On August 10, a day of remembrance began
peacefully, but some people began protesting after an
evening candlelight vigil, marching through the town and
chanting. In response, local police stations assembled
approximately 150 officers in riot gear. Some people began
looting businesses, vandalising vehicles, and confronting
police officers who sought to block off access to several
areas of the city.
On August 11, police fired tear gas to disperse a crowd at
the burnt shell of a convenience store, set on fire by looters
the night before. According to reports, gunshots were fired
in Ferguson and five people were arrested. Some protesters
threw rocks at police officers. The police responded by firing
tear gas and bean bag rounds at protesters which included a
female State Senator.
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On August 12, several hundred protesters gathered in the
town square seeking criminal prosecution of the officer
involved in the shooting. Protesters in Ferguson carried signs
and many held their hands in the air while shouting "don't
shoot," apparently in response to eye-witness accounts that
Brown had his hands raised in an attempt to surrender at
the moment he was shot. According to police, some
protesters threw bottles and Molotov cocktails at the
officers, prompting the use of tear gas to disperse the
crowd. The following day, a SWAT team of around 70
officers arrived at a protest demanding that protesters
leave. That night, police used smoke bombs, flash grenades,
rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse the crowd. Video
footage of the events recorded by a local news station
shows Ferguson Police firing tear gas into a residential
neighbourhood and ordering the journalist to stop
recording.
At least seven protesters were arrested on the evening of
August 12 and 13 after police told protesters to "go home"
or face arrest. CNN cameras filmed an officer addressing a
group of protesters by saying "Bring it, you fucking animals,
bring it." On the night of August 12, a peaceful protester was
shot in the head non-fatally by police.
At the same time in New York, groups associated with Black
Lives Matter were starting to protest the deaths of both
Michael Brown and Eric Gardener, the man who was choked
to death by a police officer. On December 20th, 2014, a
young black man sought out and killed two on-duty NYPD
officers, seemingly as revenge for the death of Eric
Garner and the shooting of Michael Brown.
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For almost a year, things continued to escalate in Ferguson
with memorials to Michael Brown being burnt down and
vandalised – at one stage a visiting State Senator described
the city as a “modern war zone” and said that he didn’t think
it was unreasonable that the African American community
“just wanted to feel safe on the streets”. In November, the
Governor of Missouri declared an official state of emergency
in Ferguson (a situation in which a government is
empowered to perform actions that it would normally not
be allowed). Protests in the city became increasingly
aggressive and police violence escalated in response until
finally, in March 2015, two police officers were shot and
killed.
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The increased violence and animosity towards police across
the country started a movement initially known as Cop Lives
Matter and, later, as Blue Lives Matter. The group is made
up of both active and retired police officers and aims to help
law enforcement officers and their families during times of
need. They also seek to have violence against law
enforcement personnel legally classified as a ‘hate crime’ – a
term which has traditionally been used to classify a crime
which is motivated by prejudice against someone’s race,
religion, gender or sexual orientation.
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#BlueLivesMatter at a glance
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Task 2: Answer the following questions. Remember that solid lines mean you need to respond in full sentences,
whilst dotted lines indicate you can respond in note form.
1. Why do you think things escalated so quickly in Ferguson?
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2. How might the Ferguson Uprising have been avoided?
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3. What does the Blue Lives Matter movement suggest about Black Lives Matter?
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4. In her tweet, Sherrie Adams comments on the death of a Milwaukee officer saying that “one is too many”
polices lives lost. How might a Black Lives Matter protestor feel about a statement like that?
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Counter-movements: All Lives Matter
The All Lives Matter movement gained widespread
notoriety in 2016 and exists largely as a criticism of the
Black Lives Matter movement. As their name suggests,
they argue that BLM implies that black lives are
superior to others and that the BLM movement in
inherently racist. Most recently, #AllLivesMatter has
been used on social media platforms promote
discussion about the anti-abortion debate, and has
even become a platform where people are advocating
veganism and vegetarianism, suggesting that animal
lives should be valued equally with humans.
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The All Lives movement has been heavily
criticised, and described as racially dismissive and
ignorant. It has been widely suggested that the phrase
‘All Lives Matter’ implies that all lives are equally risk,
when in fact statistics show that African Americans are
much more likely to be assaulted or killed by police and
to be wrongfully convicted of crimes. Black Lives
Matter movement co-founder Alicia Garza said that
"changing Black Lives Matter to All Lives Matter is a
demonstration of how we don't actually
understand structural racism in this country". She went
on to say that other lives are valued more than black
lives, and that to take blackness out of this equation is
inappropriate.
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Then-President Barack Obama spoke to the
debate between Black Lives Matter and All Lives
Matter, stating: "I think that the reason that the
organizers used the phrase Black Lives Matter was not
because they were suggesting that no one else's lives
matter ... rather what they were suggesting was there
is a specific problem that is happening in the AfricanAmerican community that's not happening in other
communities." He also said "that is a legitimate issue
that we've got to address."
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The All Lives movement has also been
associated with the slogan ‘It’s Okay to be White’,
which has since been picked up by neo-Nazi groups
and the Ku Klux Klan. These extremist groups argue
that Black Lives Matter promotes ‘black-supremacy’
and strongly suggest that the message of black
advocacy groups is racist against white people.
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#AllLivesMatter at a glance
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Task 3: Answer the following questions. Remember that solid lines mean you need to respond in full sentences,
whilst dotted lines indicate you can respond in note form.
1. Why might the All Lives Matter movement be considered racist?
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2. Why do you think the slogan ‘it’s okay to be white’ has been well received in white supremacy groups like
the KKK?
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3. In her tweet, Rachel says that BLM is ‘hypocritical’. What does she mean by this?
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4. What other minority groups might connect with the slogan ‘All Lives Matter’?
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Lesson 1
Learning Intention: _____________________________________________________________________
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Starter: Combine the following sentences into one sentence. You can add information or change words if
required.
Black Lives Matter movement originated in the United States.
Is political and controversial.
Protests police brutality.
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Word work: systemic
Definition: ____________________________________________________________________________________
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Examples:
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Think/Pair/Share: what systems make our society function?
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Word work: privilege
Definition: ____________________________________________________________________________________
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Examples:
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The issue – systemic racism
Systemic racism, also known as ‘institutional racism’, is
racism that is continued by social and political systems.
This means that within a society there are inequalities
in terms of things like wealth, income, criminal justice,
employment, housing, healthcare, political power and
access to/quality of education.
Systemic racism is often subtle – rather than one big
dramatic example of discrimination, it’s instead
frequently defined by small injustices. For example,
black people might be less likely to receive welfare
payments than white people due to the unfair
preconception that they’re ‘all criminals’ and ‘don’t try
hard enough to get jobs’.
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How can a system, like courts and prisons, or ‘thing’, like a school, be racist?
Think about who runs the systems or ‘things’. A government or any other institution is created and run by human
beings. While a building or a document cannot itself hold prejudice or beliefs, human beings are more than
capable of holding prejudicial beliefs, and in turn, creating systems that reflect and enforce those beliefs –
whether they mean to or not.
For example, in America:
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White families hold 90% of the national wealth – black and Latino families combined hold less than 5%
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In highschools, black students are suspended and expelled at three times the rate of white students for
similar offences
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Black people are 12 times more likely to be wrongly convicted of crimes than white people (this is
especially prevalent in drug-related offences)
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58% of prisoners in the US are black or Hispanic – despite the fact that these groups only make up a
quarter of the overall American population
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After hurricane Katrina in 2005, white residential areas were evacuated first – black neighbourhoods were
trapped for weeks without clean water or aid
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1. What era do you think this image is from?
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2. What do you think these protestors were afraid of?
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1. What statement is this cartoon making about systemic racism and white privilege?
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2. How does this cartoon suggest that black people stay marginalised?
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1. What does this slogan suggest about the Black Lives Matter movement?
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2. Why is it important that all the people in this image are white?
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Audiences
Meet Graeme.
Values
Graeme is a 70-year-old white man who likes traditional
institutions and practices, respect and gradual change. He
thinks BLM are ‘riff raff’ who are disrespectful to important
American institutions.
Graeme’s conservative views are in conflict with BLM’s
agenda.
1. What does BLM have to do to convince people like Graeme to support their cause?
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Meet Sarah.
Values
Sarah is a totally progressive Democratic voter. She supports
feminism, lobbied for same sex marriage, and campaigns for
refugee rights. Sarah has participated in demonstrations for racial
equality and feels strongly that police forces in the US need to be
overhauled and reformed.
Sarah’s progressive and radical views may be targeted by certain
authors.
1. What does BLM have to do to convince people like Sarah to support their cause?
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Meet Paul.
Values
Paul is a 35 year old middle class black man who works in a corporate job and who
lives in the ’burbs. Paul is a family man, who works hard to support his children.
Paul dislikes violence and rowdy protesting, and thinks calm political discourse is
important.
Despite being an African-American, Paul isn’t convinced BLM will make a
difference
1. What does BLM have to do to convince people like Paul to support their cause?
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Homework
1. Complete the audience table on p24-25.
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This can be done in note form
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Avoid repeating yourself like the example below. Try and be as specific as possible.
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Audience
Conservatives
Progressives
African American youths
African American women
Middle class Americans who
do not think it affects them
directly
Values
How will critics of BLM persuade them?
How will supporters of BLM persuade them?
Audience
Values
How will critics of BLM persuade them?
Political leaders / lawmakers
Families
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How will supporters of BLM persuade them?
Lesson 2
Learning Intention: _____________________________________________________________________
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Starter: Which of these are divisive issues? Dot point an answer to explain why you think they are or aren’t
divisive.
1. The Trump Administration’s border wall project
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
2. That Facebook’s greatest user base is people over 45
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
3. Global warming
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
4. Kanye West declaring bankruptcy
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
5. Feminism
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Locating contentions, audience and purpose
These are referred to as “big picture” items.
They are important as they allow us to understand the basics of the text before we begin analysing them.
Contentions
The contention is the author’s point of view about an issue. It is arguably the most important feature of the
analysis.
Structure
•
Author + Verb + Belief [because] Reason
•
or Author + Verb + Problem [so] Solution
•
Should always shave a conjunction – as / because / so / in order to
•
Dillon contends that the Black Lives Matter movement is divisive because it exposes modern racism in
America.
•
Dillon contends that the Black Lives Matter movement is divisive.
Misconceptions
•
Contentions will always be found at the start
•
•
Sometimes it might take a few paragraphs to understand their stance.
There can be two contentions
•
There will always be one contention. Don’t mix them up with arguments.
Audience/s
The audience(s) is the group most likely to be targeted by the author.
It is vital that you identify specific audiences in a text.
How to find audiences
27
•
Language choices provide hints as to who may be targeted.
•
“lit” is hardly going to appeal to old conservatives like Graeme.
•
“Collingwood supporters are scum” is hardly going to appeal to Collingwood supporters.
Common misconceptions
•
An author will always be trying to persuade another audience to see their perspective.
•
•
No – sometimes they will simply be confirming a group’s pre-existing beliefs.
There will only ever be one audience in a text.
•
Every text has multiple audiences, some just might not be as obvious. There is a huge difference
between ‘parents’ and ‘older parents’ for example.
Purpose/s
The purpose is what an author wants and audience to think, feel, or do after having read their text.
It should have a strong and precise verb, guilt, challenge, promote etc.
How to find
•
The language will again reveal the author’s intentions. Have they used really exaggerated language to
describe the issue? In their ideal world, how would people address this issue?
Common misconceptions
•
The purpose has to include references to all three think, feel, or do.
•
No! Some pieces will only get an audience to think or feel something.
28
Teacher model
Contention: ____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Audience/s: ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Purpose/s: ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
29
Guided practice
Contention: ____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Audience/s: ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Purpose/s: ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
30
Homework
1. Read through the two letters to the editors.
2. Using the homework table, locate the contention, audience, and purpose.
Text
Contention
One
Two
Audiences
Provide evidence of the
language that supports
this.
Purpose
Provide evidence of the
language that supports
this.
32
Lesson 3
Learning Intention: _____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Starter: Without using your notes, identify at least two values for each audience group.
Conservatives value:
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….……………………..
Progressives value:
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….……………………..
Tone
•
Tone refers to the emotion / feelings of the author of the text
•
To identify the tone, it might help to imagine you are reading the text out loud
How to find the tone of a text?
Step 1: Is the author positive (+) or negative (–) towards the issue?
Step 2: find examples of words that create the tone
Step 3: identify the tone at the start of the text and annotate with specific adjectives
Step 4: look for tonal shifts (usually associated with change in topic)
Tone is the mood that the language communicates. The tone of a text can be conveyed via specific word choices
(verbs, adjectives, adverbs), the structure of sentences and the line of the argument being made. Identifying the
tone of a text helps us understand the author’s argument and potentially also the solution being offered or
audience being targeted.
For example:
•
Informative: 70% of all emergency calls are non-essential.
•
Scathing: It’s truly appalling that at least 70% of all emergency are about petty, non-essential matters.
•
Celebratory: Whilst recent data suggests that up to 70% of all emergency calls are non-essential, it’s
heartening to see that emergency awareness has improve significantly across the state – potentially
allowing us to save more precious lives.
Tonal Vocabulary
Positive:
•
Celebratory - feeling or expressing happiness and pride.
•
Praising - express warm approval or admiration of.
•
Optimistic – expressing hope / belief that the future will be positive
•
Nostalgic - feeling, evoking, or characterized by nostalgia.
Negative:
•
Melancholic - expressing severe sadness/ depression that paralyses you.
•
Frustrated – feeling or expressing distress and annoyance resulting from an inability to change or achieve
something.
•
Distressed - suffering from extreme anxiety, sorrow, or pain that triggers a physical response, i.e. crying.
•
Condemnatory - expressing strong disapproval; severely criticising others and demanding they change.
34
Task: Put the tone words into the most appropriate category.
honest / pessimistic / optimistic / critical / enraged / somber
scathing / ardent / authoritative / mournful / reflective / elated
Angry
Sad
Happy
Informative
Task: Rewrite the sentences to match the tone word provided.
Ardent
Police officers are more likely to target African American citizens.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Condemnatory
Institutions in America need to be reformed to be more equal.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Sombre
Black Americans are more at risk.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
35
Task: Reorder the following sentences so that they complete an argument analysis introduction.
1. Adopting a harsh and cynical tone, Tometi contends that African Americans have an obligation to protest
police brutality because it threatens all black families and communities.
2. Targeting progressive audiences, Tometi seeks to garner support for the Black Lives Matter movement
and encourage non-violent protests.
3. Following the acquittal of George Zimmerman over the fatal shooting of Treyvon Martin, Opal Tometi, an
equal rights activist, published an opinion piece which highlighted the overwhelming injustice African
Americans face continuously.
Argument Analysis introductions
The introduction is where you write the CCTAP out in full sentences.
General rules
•
Introductions should be accurate, but concise – don’t get bogged down. 3-4 sentences max.
•
Do not include evidence or attempt to analyse.
•
The aim is to list the key features of a text and then move on to the analysis.
•
You should include information from the background information box.
Model:
Responding to the recent popularity of the All Lives Matter movement, Jack
Ryan, a Washington activist, published a letter to the editor condemning the
movement as racist and reductive. Utilising an incredulous and critical tone,
Ryan contends that All Lives Matter is offensive because it refuses to
acknowledge the systemic racism experienced by African Americans. Targeting
progressive and conservative audiences, Ryan aims to expose the hypocrisy and
inherently prejudiced ideology of the All Lives movement.
36
Background information
•
Contains vital information that is often overlooked. This information should form the basis of the first
sentence of your introduction.
•
The most important thing to look for is what triggered the text to be written, and what the issue being
discussed is.
•
It can also hint at possible audiences, tones, and purposes.
Background information
In November 2016, the All Lives Matter movement became a major talking
point of the United States presidential election. Strongly endorsed by the
Republican party, the slogan sparked significant controversy as many felt it
was a thinly-veiled attempt to diminish and silence black voices.
A few days later, Missourian Danielle Thacker published a letter to the
editor in the Columbia Daily Tribune discussing the issue.
Context sentences – teacher model
1. Start with a fronted preposition to introduce what triggered the text to be written in the first place.
Fronted prepositions – following, in the wake of, after, during.
____________________________________________________________________________________________,
2. Include author, text type, and then the issue being discussed. The best introductions will also use an
appositive.
Appositive – short phrase starting with a, the, or an about a noun or noun phrase.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________.
Context sentences – independent practice
Background information
In November 2016, the All Lives Matter movement became a major talking
point of the United States presidential election. Strongly endorsed by the
Republican party, the slogan sparked significant controversy as many felt it
was a thinly-veiled attempt to diminish and silence black voices.
Black rights activist Alicia Michaels responded a few days later in a letter to
the editor.
37
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
38
Homework
Task: Using notes from the last 3 lessons, write separate CCTAP introductions for the Jack
Ryan and Jennifer Kyle pieces.
Following race riots in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in August 2017, the All Lives Matter
movement gained a groundswell of support after civil protests turned violent. Notably,
during the riots, a black man with a stolen pistol was shot by a black police officer.
The following letters to the editor appeared on the Huffington Post website shortly after
the riots. The site invited readers to share their opinions on the article The Problems I
Have with the Black Lives Matter Movement. Included are two replies from teacher Jack
Ryan and stay at home mother Jennifer Kyle.
Loud and proud
We’re lying to ourselves if we say that the “All Lives Matter” movement isn’t just about
discrediting black voices.
Take the [hypothetical] situation, of a white police officer shooting an unarmed black
teenager. There is no video, the officer claims he was acting in self-defense, and there are
only a few witnesses who are all African American.
If this officer were put on trial for murder, what would the defense do? Attempt to discredit
the witnesses? Try to portray the witnesses as anti-police, uneducated, incompetent,
criminal, biased, and immoral? What is this doing besides trying to convince the jury that
the voice of one white person is worth more than several black voices? If this police officer
were found not guilty like other officers who have faced similar trials, what does that say
about our society?
African Americans currently face structural racism. The “All Lives Matter” movement
discredits the notion that African Americans struggle with this on a daily basis. This
viewpoint reflects white privilege and fails to acknowledge the everyday reality that African
Americans face. When you say “All Lives Matter,” you deflect attention from racism in this
country. That is because the point of “All Lives Matter” is to diminish the “Black Lives
Matter” movement and black lives.
Jack Ryan, Washington
39
If being a cop is so easy, you try it.
There are a lot of cops in my family - my father was a cop, my aunt is a cop, their father
before them was a cop. Hell, I even married a cop. I’ll admit I’m biased. My relatives, my
husband and their co-workers are all good people who have dedicated their lives to civil
service and protecting the communities they live in.
Here’s what people seem to have forgotten in all this Black Lives Matter fervour: cops die
all the time too. My father was shot in the leg by a guy robbing a convenience store in ’92.
Six years later, his partner was killed in a high-speed chase with a gang member who had
been shooting up a row of houses over a drug dispute. Just this year, two officers in my
husband’s precinct have been killed in altercations with black gangs.
I don’t understand this rhetoric going around at the moment that makes police out to be
racist, tyrannical sadists who go out of their way to hurt and kill black people. That just
isn’t true.
Blue Lives do matter – cops are brave, hardworking people who put themselves in danger
day after day so that you get to live safe, comfortable lives. I’d like to see you try it.
Jennifer Kyle, Cleveland
Ryan introduction:
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
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_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
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_____________________________________________________________________________________
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40
Kyle introduction:
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
41
Lesson 4
Learning Intention: _____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Starter: Using the background information, write a context sentence for an introduction.
1. Include a fronted preposition.
2. Include an appositive.
Background information
In 2017 the superintendent of the Northern Californian school district
banned Black Lives Matter stickers and signs, in all schools, citing that it was
inappropriate for students to take radical positions on controversial issues.
In response, a parent in the district named Dede Lewis wrote to the school
board to protest the decisions.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Task: sort the verbs into the most appropriate headings
The author thinks
The author argues
The author likes
42
The author doesn’t like
Ink/Pair/Share: Which techniques can you use to identify an author’s arguments?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Chunking
Chunking refers to the process of locating an author’s arguments. These chunks form the foundation of your three
paragraphs.
Tips to help chunk:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Misconceptions
•
There will always be an argument in the first paragraph to chunk.
False. Sometimes an author will spend the first half of the text introducing themselves, not presenting an
argument. You can discuss this but it must be linked back to an argument somewhere.
•
An author will always discuss the cause of the issue first before moving on to other arguments.
False. Sometimes an author will discuss the consequences of an issue first to hook people into reading on
•
An argument doesn’t have to have a reason in it.
False. An argument should always try and follow the belief + reason approach.
43
Teacher model
Unconstitutional at best, totalitarian at worst
My son goes to one of the schools that’s banned Black Lives Matter
paraphernalia but last time I checked, this was America, and people don’t
just have the right to ban things just because they don’t agree with them.
So one white kid bought home a paltry Black Lives sticker, so what. White
people make this argument all the time, acting like talking about an issue
that’s vaguely contentious is going to irrevocably damage them somehow,
like their kids’ poor little brains are going to melt if they hear and opinion
that their parents don’t agree with. None of those parents cared about
when their kids brought ropes to school and hung them like nooses from
trees outside the classrooms. When should we expect to hear about the
superintendent banning ropes?
Legally, students have a right to free speech and expression at school. They
have the right to wear sports jerseys, shirts that show solidarity with LGBTQ
students, and they have a right to support the Black Lives Matter
movement. Free speech is for everyone, not just for white people, as the
superintendent seems to mistakenly believe.
Deshawn Martin
What 1:
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
What 2:
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
44
Guided practice
What 1:
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
What 2:
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
45
What statements
Once you chunked your piece, you can then transfer the chunks into what statements. These form a topic
sentence. A full essay will have three different ‘what’ statements.
Example: Ryan illustrates how All Lives Matter is inherently oppressive because it discredits the voices of black
Americans.
How do I write these?
•
Use author + verb + belief because reason.
•
They must be specific and directly related to the text.
•
These should build on top of the last argument
•
Having established the reductive nature of the movement, Ryan challenges the notion that all lives
are equally in danger because African Americans are subject to systemic racism.
Homework
1. CCTAP the new article.
2. Write an introduction for the new article.
3. Chunk the text and write three what statements for it.
4. Find three pieces of evidence within each chunk that supports the argument being made.
46
Background info
In November 2016, the All Lives Matter movement became a major talking point
of the United States presidential election. Strongly endorsed by the Republican
party, the slogan sparked significant controversy as many felt it was a thinlyveiled attempt to diminish and silence black voices.
Responding to comments made by Presidential Candidate Trump, Independent
Congresswoman Jo Ann Emmerson wrote a statement declaring her support for
the Black Lives Matter movement.
Dividing the nation
Those who dismiss and argue against Black Lives Matter don’t understand what actually
makes America great. In America we celebrate freedom and diversity – a nation built on the
hard work of millions of people across generations. We stand up for what’s right. We protect
each other.
The history of America is undoubtedly complex for many African Americans. Our great nation
has not always treated them with the love and kindness they deserve. They have suffered
violence and injustice and dispossession but have also carved a triumphant place for
themselves in this country. When you consider the brutality, the inequality that they’ve had to
face for so many years, it’s no wonder they’re angry. We can’t deny that they’ve been
wronged.
But lately political opportunists in the Republican and Democratic parties have been using
Black Lives Matter as a way of dividing us; taking the challenge of the truth we must face and
pitting us against each other. It’s disgraceful. The struggles of our brothers and sisters are our
struggles to share. To ignore the past, the present, is to jeopardise our future it’s our duty as
Americans to overcome this difficult time in our history together.
Jo Ann Emmerson, Independent Congresswoman
47
Emmerson Introduction
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
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_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
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What 1:
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Evidence: …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
48
What 2:
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Evidence: …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
What 3:
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Evidence: …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
49
Lesson 5
Learning Intention: _____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Starter: Rewrite the 2nd and 3rd what sentences so that they build upon each other.
What 1: Ellis laments popular support for All Lives Matter as it fails to recognise the systemic injustice African
Americans face.
What 2: ______________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
What 3: ______________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Think/Pair/Share: What makes a good piece of evidence?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
50
Ink/Pair/Share: Write a list of the key mistakes that people might make when attempting to locate evidence to
support an argument.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
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…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
How statements
How relates to the section of the paragraph where you give evidence to support the argument. Evidence can be
anything, from nouns and verbs, to statistics and anecdotes.
Your aim is to explain why this language has been used to make this argument.
Steps
1. Find suitable evidence that is relevant and backs up the argument.
2. Embed it into a sentence. What is the context?
3. Unpack the connotations of the language. What is the author trying to convey?
Useful Stems
Through the word “….”, author …
By using the phrase “….”, author . . .
The phrase/word “…..” has connotations of …..
The word/phrase “….” builds an image of ……
Here, author . . . .
Misconceptions
•
I have to label my evidence with a name, like emotive language, or anaphora.
False. You just need to quote it and then analyse it. You can write on anything, even if you don’t know it’s
technical term.
•
I can only use one piece of evidence at a time, like the word “virus”.
False. The best essays identify a pattern in the language and often quote them to reveal a bigger picture ,
“infection” + “illness” + “virus” is better than just “virus”.
•
I look for evidence first.
False. This risks using evidence that has nothing to do with your what statements.
•
The more quotes I write, the more marks I’ll get.
51
If it’s worth quoting, it’s worth analysing. Quotes without analysis are worthless.
Teacher model
Unconstitutional at best, totalitarian at worst
My son goes to one of the schools that’s banned Black Lives Matter
paraphernalia but last time I checked, this was America, and people don’t
just have the right to ban things just because they don’t agree with them.
So one white kid bought home a paltry Black Lives sticker, so what. White
people make this argument all the time, acting like talking about an issue
that’s vaguely contentious is going to irrevocably damage them somehow,
like their kids’ poor little brains are going to melt if they hear and opinion
that their parents don’t agree with. None of those parents cared about
when their kids brought ropes to school and hung them like nooses from
trees outside the classrooms. When should we expect to hear about the
superintendent banning ropes?
Legally, students have a right to free speech and expression at school. They
have the right to wear sports jerseys, shirts that show solidarity with LGBTQ
students, and they have a right to support the Black Lives Matter
movement. Free speech is for everyone, not just for white people, as the
superintendent seems to mistakenly believe.
Deshawn Martin
What 1: Martin characterises the superintendent and schoolboard as biased because they prioritise white voices
in the community.
Which is the best ‘how’?
a) Appeal to patriotism “this was America”
b) Adjectives “vaguely” and “irrevocably”
c) Reductive language “one white kid”, “paltry”
d) Exclusionary language “if they hear an opinion their parents don’t agree with”
Have your dictionary out – it is
a useful way to unpack the
How 1: minimising – ‘one white kid’, ‘paltry’
connotations of key words.
52
1. What are the connotations of ‘paltry’?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
2. Why is it important that the ban was enacted based on the feedback of just one child/family?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
How 2: ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
1. What qualities do these quotations share all share?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
2. What are the connotations of white students hanging ropes from trees?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
3. Why does the imagery of the noose highlight the injustice of the situation?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
53
Martin characterises the superintendent and schoolboard as biased because they prioritise white voices in the
community. Describing the uproar over a single ‘paltry’ sticker brought home by ‘one white kid’, Martin insists that
the superintendent and the school board are deliberately minimizing the issue and are more interested in
appeasing white members of the community. Here, he ________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
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54
Homework
Using the MPO provided, write out the three body paragraphs. You should have both the MPO and the article
with you as you write. Refer back to the Emmerson text on p47.
You do not need to attempt the ‘why’ statements as we haven’t covered this yet. They are noted only so that
you’re aware of where they would be included in a paragraph.
What: Emmerson begins by celebrating America’s tenacity and sense of justice because it reinforces important
national values.
How 1: ‘what actually makes America great’ parody of Trump campaign slogan / criticises conserv. aud.
Why 1: progressives
How 2: rep. of inclusive pronoun ‘we’ – emphasises collective Am. identity
Why 2: moderates, progressives
What: Having established the core principles of America, Emmerson expands on the cruelty African Americans
have been historically subjected to because it further illustrates the just nature of the Black Lives Matter
campaign.
How 1: contrast ‘love’ ‘kindness’ vs ‘violence’ ‘injustice’ ‘dispossession’
Why 1: prog., AA ppl, AA activists
How 2: ‘carved a triumphant place’ – ‘carved’ cons: cut, shaped into, purposeful, to form / ‘triumphant’ cons:
overcoming, victorious, successful – contrasts against bad history + shows AA ppl = strong
Why 2: prog., AA ppl, AA activists
What: Reflecting on the divisive nature of the current political landscape, Emmerson urges Americans focus on
resolving racial injustice so the nation can move forward and be unified once more.
How 1: ‘opportunists’ cons: ppl who are self-serving, selfish, acting against Am. values + beliefs / ‘dividing us’,
‘pitting us against each other’ – bad/selfish ppl trying to corrupt Am
Why 1: prog., con., AA
How 2: inclusive lang. – ‘us’ ‘our’ ‘brothers + sisters’ ‘share’ ‘our future’ ‘Americans’
Why 2: encourages unity + inclusivity, appeal to patriotism + core values/beliefs
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Lesson 6
Learning Intention: _____________________________________________________________________
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Starter: Rewrite the 2nd and 3rd what sentences so that they build upon each other.
Finish the following how sentence stem using the connotations of the bolded words:
‘the All Lives movement is unjust and cruel.’
Through the phrase ‘unjust and cruel’, the author implies that __________________________________________
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Emmerson text (p47)
What 2: Having established her support for the Black Lives Matter movement, Emmerson laments the injustices
and cruelty suffered by African Americans because it must be fully acknowledged in order for the nation to move
forward cohesively.
How 1: ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
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What 3: Reflecting on the divisive nature of the current political landscape, Emmerson urges Americans to stay
unified because the nation must focus on achieving its democratic ideal of equality for all.
How 1: ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
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Having established her support for the Black Lives Matter movement, Emmerson laments the injustices and
cruelty suffered by African Americans because it must be fully acknowledged in order for the nation to move
forward cohesively. She expresses her regret that African Americans have ‘suffered violence and injustice and
dispossession’, highlighting the historical subjugation of black Americans. Through this, Emmerson ____________
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Reflecting on the divisive nature of the current political landscape, Emmerson urges Americans to stay unified
because the nation must focus on achieving its democratic ideal of equality for all. Invoking a sense of patriotism
and pride, Emmerson calls on all Americans to safeguard ‘our future’ from the political threat that seeks to
‘divide us’, ___________________________________________________________________________________
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Homework
Using the images, answer the questions below in note form.
Image 1 – The Courthouse
What argument is the image making?
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How do you know? What specific parts of the image make the argument clear to you?
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Why is the man on trial disheartened in the last panel?
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Image 2 – Rest in Peace
What argument is the image making?
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How do you know? What specific parts of the image make the argument clear to you?
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Why aren’t there any names on the graves?
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Image 3 – Black Lives Matter is Racist
What argument is the image making?
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How do you know? What specific parts of the image make the argument clear to you?
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When you look at this image, what do you look at first? Then what do you see next? Try to ‘map’ what you look
at, and in what order.
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Image 4 – The Rally
What argument is the image making?
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How do you know? What specific parts of the image make the argument clear to you?
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What is the slogan on the shirt alluding to? Why is the context of the image important?
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Lesson 7
Learning Intention: _____________________________________________________________________
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Starter: using the notes provided, write out the what and how statements.
Hint: a dictionary can be useful in
unpacking the connotations.
•
Ellis contends ALM = racist b/c doesn’t acknowledge AA comms @ ↑ risk
•
How 1 = statistics black Americans “12x more likely to be wrongly convicted of crimes” (mostly drug off.)
•
How 2 = emotive language AA ppl in media “debased”, “vilified”, “marginalised”
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Modality
Modality refers to the necessity or possibility of something - it is an important aspect of argument analysis. Not all
verbs are created equal and the ability to recognise the subtleties between them is a key aspect of the analysis
and discussion of arguments.
can / dare / might / must / need / ought / may / shall / should / will
Low modality
High modality
attacks / questions / suggests / demands / supposes / contends / believes /
speculates / criticises / critiques / challenges / understands
High modality
Low modality
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Task: Identify the audience and the value being targeted.
Consequently, Dillon’s ___________________________________________ audience are positioned to view the
idea of legislating violence against police as a hate crime because it is an affront to their belief and pride in the
American identity.
Value: …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
As a result, Dillon invites ___________________________________________ to recognise that, despite its
controversial status in society, the Black Lives Matter movement aims to give all children the opportunity to grow
up in a safe, democratic nation.
Value: …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
___________________________________________ are reassured that the controversy associated with the
movement will not disrupt neighbourhoods and cities, rather, it will create communities that are safer and more
unified.
Value: …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Ultimately, ___________________________________________, emboldened by the popularity of the movement
on social media, are invited to see police reform as the latest cause that requires social reform.
Value: …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Why statements
The why is the last section that you will write on in your paragraph. It is reserved for the effect of the evidence on
the audience.
Requirements
•
Should contain a strong and precise verb.
Wittman reassures the audience that…., Wittman defuses fear within the audience…
•
Should include specific audiences throughout your analysis.
Wittman’s elderly audience celebrate . . . Parents within the audience, especially those with young children. . .
•
Most effective analysis also discusses the particular value that an author is trying to target within an
audience.
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Stems
Consequently, audience + effect + why
As a result, audience + effect + why
Here, audience + effect + why
Misconceptions
•
“This draws the audience in / make them read on.”
These phrases means nothing and offer no analysis. Why does it draw them in? Why does it make them read on?
•
“This makes the audience view the author as trustworthy.”
Be wary about disproportionately focusing on an author instead of their argument.
•
A text will only ever have one audience.
The vast majority of pieces will have several different audiences throughout that you could zoom in on.
•
I can use ‘persuades’ as a verb.
Technically you can, but it is very vague. Try positions the audience… / compels the audience… / invites the
audience…
Context – response to BLM
advocacy article in local paper, Kyle
wrote a letter to the editor.
Contention – police need to be
supported, not vilified b/c they’re
important community figures w/
difficult jobs.
Tone – ………………………………………….
……………………………………………………..
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Audience – conservatives, patriots
Purpose – recognise that police are
‘real people’/show how vulnerable
they can be in their line of work
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What 1: Kyle protests the recent swell of support for the Black Lives Matter movement because it disregards the
difficult and dangerous nature of police work.
How 1: ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
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Why 1: ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
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How 2: ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
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BP1
Kyle protests the recent swell of support for the Black Lives Matter movement because it disregards the difficult
and dangerous nature of police work. To illustrate the danger African Americans pose in communities, Kyle relays
an anecdote about her father’s partner being shot to death by a ‘gang member’ and cites that ‘two officers’ from
her husband’s precinct have been shot and killed this year. By relaying both her own personal experiences and
those of her family and friends, Kyle ensures that the focus stays on people rather than politics. She references
the death of the two local police officers to further demonstrate how close to home the danger is. ____________
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Extension – Alternate How/Why 2
How: emotive language ‘all good people’, ‘dedicated their lives’, ‘protecting the communities they live in’
1. What conservative value is Kyle appealing to within this group?
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2. What is the intended effect?
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In contrast, Kyle employs emotive language to describing police as ‘good’, ‘dedicated’ people who strive to
protect ‘the communities they live in’ in order to unite her supporters around a common cause. Kyle paints police
officers as heroes who work tirelessly to ensure that civilians are kept safe. Additionally, by describing police
officers as members of the local community, Kyle further personalises the issue by implying that police need the
protection of civilians in return. __________________________________________________________________
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Homework
1. CCTAP the new text.
2. Use the MPO to write out the three body paragraphs (not the introduction).
Background info
After the death of African American teen Darnell Wallis, multiple news outlets
covered the story and discussed the violence in the community. Many
publications were criticised for portraying the officer that shot Wallis
sympathetically and for vilifying Wallis.
In response, Black Lives Matter activist and advocate Nia Russell wrote an
editorial for The New York Times discussing the issue.
Stop killing us.
My little sister’s best friend was shot by a cop last week. His name was Darnell, you might have heard of him. You
wouldn’t know it from the serious-faced photo they keep showing on the news but he was tall, handsome; he
smiled all the time and had a great sense of humour.
He was just out of high school – after graduation he and my sister didn’t even go out to any parties, they went
bowling – and he was going to go to community college, maybe study law.
Anyway, none of that matters now, because he’s dead. He was pulled over because his tail light was out and
when he reached for the glove box to get his registration, like the office asked him to, he was shot twice in the
chest.
He bled out right there. In the driver’s seat of his own car.
Words hold power. We know this, and yet we are so rarely careful with them. After Darnell’s death all I’ve seen is
the media propping up white bias, churning out stories that focus on how our neighbourhood is rife with drugs,
how Darnell was big for his age, looked older, meaner, more dangerous. A big dumb guy from the ghetto,
probably a drug dealer, bound to end up dead someday soon one way or another.
74
Nobody wants to know about Darnell used to help out at the
church, or how when he came around to our house he did the
dishes with my sister before my mom even had to ask.
No, the media doesn’t want us to feel sad about Darnell’s death.
We’re all just meant to feel sorry for this poor cop who somehow
accidentally shot a kid twice at point blank range.
Well, I refuse to feel sorry for him. He shot an unarmed boy. If
you’re the kind of man who can murder a child and still stand
outside the county courthouse smiling and waving and shaking
hands, you deserve everything you get. And I won’t just let
journalists and pretty blonde news anchors turn Darnell into
another statistic.
I’m tired of our sons and brothers being hunted like game, like
we’re all still plantation workers saying “yes boss, no boss” and
waiting for any sort of punishment or kindness the white man feels
like handing out. Our lives matter, and we’ll march and scream and
protest until you stop killing us.
-
Nia Russell
MPO
Context:…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Contention:……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Tone:……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Audience:………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Purpose:…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
What: Russell laments the circumstances of Wallis’ death because she believes the murder was unjust and racially
motivated based on stereotypical assumptions.
How 1: characterisation of Darnell Wallis “tall”, “handsome”, “great sense of humour”, “didn’t go out to parties” –
shows that he was just a normal young person, not a criminal / good natured + compliant
Why 1: prog., AA act / injustice, inequality / ppl feel angry + outraged
How 2: “serious-faced photo” – carefully chosen by the media to represent him a certain way, contrary to how he
actually was / Short sentence “He bled out right there. In the driver’s seat of his own car” – reinforce violence +
finality of event
75
Why 2: prog., AA act, parents / social change, safety of children / prompt sadness, regret, can’t happen again
What: Having established Wallis’ good character and gentle nature, Russell attacks the mainstream media
because they have consistently misrepresented Wallis.
How 1: verb “churning” – news stories are coming out hard and fast, not well thought through / adjs “older”
“meaner” “more dangerous” – media portrayal is racist
Why 1: prog., AA act / injustice, inequality / ppl feel angry + outraged w/ media
How 2: adjs “rife with drugs”, “big dumb guy from the ghetto” / “bound to end up dead” – signals that the media
doesn’t care whether or not he dies, implies that his life isn’t worth anything
Why 2: prog., AA act / ineq. + silence of minority voices / reinforce danger of racial stereotypes
What: As her argument draws to a close, Russell challenges the media’s decision to protect the guilty officer
because it continues systemically racist values and behaviour.
How 1: Characterisation of the cop via verbs “smiling”, “waving”, “shaking hands”, “murder a child”. Two-faced or
uncaring / contrast against “we’re all still plantation workers”, “yes boss, no boss”, “any kind of punishment the
white man feels like handing out” – intergenerationality, systemic racism. Still treating black people as if they
were less-than-human while wht ppl get free pass
Why 1: prog., AA act / ineq. + silence of minority voices / protest pol violence
How 2: Triple/verbs “march”, “scream”, “protest”/ “until you stop killing us” - pronouns denote division, implies
that there are ‘sides’ and that battle lines have been drawn
Why 2: prog., AA act, parents / injustice, inequality / protest + fight
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Lesson 8
Learning Intention: _____________________________________________________________________
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Starter: Using the what statement and the evidence provided, write a how
and why statement in your workbook. Consider the argument being made –
it will give you an indication of the audience/values for your why statement.
Hint: a dictionary can be useful in
unpacking the connotations.
What: Ellis contends that promoting diversity marginalises white Americans because their right to free speech will
be restricted.
How:
•
Appeal to patriotism – “our Founding Fathers would be rolling in their graves”
•
Adjectives – “Twitter-obsessed millennials”, “simpering social justice warriors”, “navel-gazing activists”
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Task: Using the CCTAP from last lesson’s homework, write out the introduction for Nia Russel’s piece.
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Visual text analysis
Nearly every persuasive text will be accompanied by a visual text of some sort. You must analyse an image on the
exam.
A visual text is another persuasive device, just like a metaphor, or an expert opinion. Like all devices, it needs to
be accurately connected to an author’s argument somewhere in the text. You need to ensure that you give a
detailed description of what part of the image you choose to write on.
There are many styles of visual texts – it is important you accurately label them.
If you study Vis-Com, you can use the same skills and analysis.
We will examine three of the most common types of visual texts in the next few slides.
Think/Pair/Share: when you analyse an image, what sort of things might you look for?
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Visual text analysis – steps
Essentially, a visual text is simply another piece of evidence for you to use in the how section of your paragraph.
Follow the following steps to effectively analyse a visual:
1. Identify the text type.
2. Relate it back to an argument being made – you must always connect the image to a piece of text you
intend to analyse.
3. When introducing it as a piece of evidence, briefly describe the image as well as the part of it you intend
on analysing.
4. Analyse the meaning of the visual text and how it relates back to the argument.
5. Discuss the intended effect of the visual on an audience.
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Teacher model
Having established the prejudiced nature of the decision, Martin argues that free speech, a universal right, is not
being equally honoured so must be applied to all people without bias. Martin’s piece is accompanied by a
photograph of young people, both black and white, protesting in support of Black Lives. The visual hierarchy then
leads the viewer’s attention across the photograph to the many other students taking part in the rally. Here, the
image captures Martin’s declaration that ‘students have a right to free speech’ and that ‘free speech is for
everyone’. Consequently, advocates of Black Lives Matter are likely to feel reassured that their activism is both
necessary and legal because they value equality and democracy.
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Guided practice
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Homework
You have two texts that we have looked out through the unit that have been reissued with an image.
Using the skills that we have looked at today, complete an argument analysis paragraph for each text that
includes analysis of the visual text. Your paragraph should be a full AA paragraph (what/how/why/how/why).
Text 1 – Stop killing us (chunk 3)
No, the media doesn’t want us to feel sad about Darnell’s death.
We’re all just meant to feel sorry for this poor cop who somehow
accidentally shot a kid twice at point blank range.
Well, I refuse to feel sorry for him. He shot an unarmed boy. If
you’re the kind of man who can murder a child and still stand
outside the county courthouse smiling and waving and shaking
hands, you deserve everything you get. And I won’t just let
journalists and pretty blonde news anchors turn Darnell into
another statistic.
I’m tired of our sons and brothers being hunted like game, like
we’re all still plantation workers saying “yes boss, no boss” and
waiting for any sort of punishment or kindness the white man feels
like handing out. Our lives matter, and we’ll march and scream and
protest until you stop killing us.
Nia Russell
As her argument draws to a close, Russell challenges the media’s decision to protect the guilty officer because it
continues systemically racist values and behaviour. ___________________________________________________
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Text 2 - Black lives matter? All lives matter.
The so-called Black Lives Matter activists don’t make a particularly compelling case for a less-violent police force.
Over and over again now we see them out on the streets screaming “black power” and assaulting police officers –
actually, assaulting any white person in sight.
If they don’t want to have physical altercations with police, they need to stop acting like a mob of angry villagers.
Don’t get me wrong, I believe that there are many well-intended people within the Black Lives Matter movement.
But it’s not like white people aren’t also treated roughly. Sometimes, that’s just what it takes for the police to be
able to keep the peace.
It’s a shame that the ones with the loudest voices are the ones who are, whether it’s intentional or not, causing
more separation. It’s not a contest about whose oppression is more important. It’s not a question of who’s life is
more valuable. We’re all just human beings and unity is the only way out of this mess.
Danielle Thacker, Missouri
Thacker condemns the tactics of the Black Lives Matter movement because they promote violence and aggression.
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Homework
1. Read and CCTAP the new text
2. Write an introduction
3. Plan + write BP1
This is how race defines a life
Eric Brown Published 6:00 p.m. CT May 18, 2018 | Updated 3:28 p.m. CT May 23, 2018
Background info
In the wake of rising tensions between black and white Americans and the continued vilification of
African Americans in predominately-white neighbourhoods, North Nashville community leader Eric
Brown wrote an editorial piece for The Huffington Post discussing the what it feels like to be black
in America.
Since I was 4 years old, I’ve felt like I had a degree in racism. I’m an expert. I grew up in the South, which, we all know, is the half
of America where all the white people tend to congregate and the two most important things in the world are God and country
music. When I was a kid, all of my friends were white so I listened to country singers all the time because that’s what all my
white friends did.
Now, country music isn’t really my thing, but I wanted so badly to please this little white group of friends that I had that I never
said a word, sat in the backseat of their parents’ cars while my friend sat in the front and respectfully hummed along to
whatever Dolly Parton rip-off was warbling out of the radio. The white parents liked this, you see – the best kind of black person
is one who tries to be white, after all. I wanted so badly to please this small group of people because my mother thought that I
would be in a safe Christian environment. My parents loved me so much that they made sure I looked ‘presentable’, always had
my nicely-pressed shirt tucked into my nicely-pressed jeans, made sure my hair wasn’t too black so as not to scare folks. They
wanted me to look white, because they thought that would keep me safe. They wanted me
to look white, because being a black man makes me a problem to society.
But those lessons in looking right and being safe still don’t prevent the numerous occasions
on which I’ve been pulled over by police and been asked to step out of the vehicle while it
was searched for drugs. It’s never prevented campus security from searching my person and
my possessions, because there’s been a theft and I’m the only black student on campus.
Those lessons on smiling to make others feel safe never stopped my white peers from
consistently discussing everything black in front of me to stop them from appearing racist.
They didn’t stop people from starting sentences with “I’m not a racist, but…”.
These situations wear me down. I’m constantly drowning in the feeling that I have to bear
the weight of being black. It makes me feel paralysed, like any move I make is being
watched and needs correction. I still can’t help feeling disappointed, despite being overqualified and taking entry level jobs because I wasn’t considered good enough for high-level
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jobs. Then, later at conferences hearing white academics lament to each other, ‘There are just aren’t a lot of blacks qualified for
these positions.’.
I watch as white women grab their purses and hold them tight on elevators, watching me fearfully out of the corner of their
eyes whilst simultaneously pretending not to look. What they don’t know is that I’m just as scared to be alone with them, in fear
of being accused of rape.
It doesn’t matter if I’m good, respectable, or hardworking; I still wrestle with the fact I am seen as a threat. So, I try to be strong
and publicly make it look as if nothing bothers me. I remain serious to maintain power for myself as a way to not let people see
my hopelessness. But we have to start somewhere. I don’t want to feel sad and angry about being black anymore – I want to live
in an America where I can be proud of myself and my achievements. So, let’s start here. Hopefully, if this makes you think, then
maybe we can start to plan a way forward – together. As Southerners. As Americans. As friends.
MPO
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Contention:……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Tone:……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Audience:………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Purpose:…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
What:
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Why 1: ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
How 2: ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
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Why 2: ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
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Quick Reference Guide
Essay structures
Planning steps
Stems
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Section C – Argument Analysis
Planning steps:
1. Read the text through once without making any notes
2. CCTAP
3. Re-read with a pen in hand (not a highlighter) and make annotations about arguments and interesting
words/phrases
4. Chunk the text
5. Write ‘What’ statements for each chunk
6. Select evidence
7. Identify the specific audience and value being targeted
Essay Structure:
Introduction:
For the main text, identify: context, contention, tone, audience and purpose. For the supporting text, identify:
contention, audience, and either purpose or tone (whichever is most different to the main text).
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Introductions should be accurate, but concise – don’t get bogged down.
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Do not include evidence or attempt to analyse.
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The aim is to list the key features of a text and then move on to the analysis.
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You should include information from the background information box.
Following the Australian government’s announcement of new legislation for Indigenous
incarceration, Robert Tickner, formerly Australia’s longest serving minister for Aboriginal Affairs,
published an opinion piece indicating his support for Indigenous rights and his criticism of the
government’s approach. Employing an authoritative and largely critical tone, Tickner contends that
the Australian criminal justice system is an abject failure so all branches of the government need
to unite in order to effect productive change. Targeting both progressives and conservatives,
Tickner urges the major political parties to put aside their differences in order to enact positive
legislative change.
Body Paragraphs [x3]:
BP1+2:
What statement → Author + verb + [belief + reason] / [problem + solution]
Tickner contends that the Indigenous incarceration rates in Australia represent an unequivocal
failure of government because politicians have neglected to follow the recommendations of the
royal commissions.
How 1 → evidence from the text – look for interesting words or patterns in verbs, adjectives, etc.
Patterns in the language immediately establish the severity of the situation: Tickner describes how
people are “damaged” by the criminal justice system and the “urgent” nature of the “national
crisis”. The connotations of the verb “damaged” and the adjective “urgent” establish how truly
grave and desperate the situation is, and the extent to which people’s lives and communities are
mutilated and desecrated by the current system. By emphasising that this is a catastrophe facing
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the whole nation, Tickner insists that all Australians must hold the government responsible for their
neglect and ignorance.
Why 1→ Consequently, audience + effect (think/feel/do) + why (value) / must mention specific audience
Can follow the structure:
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Here, [author] encourages [specific audience], who value [value of that audience that is being targeted],
to [think/feel/do].
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Consequently, [author] encourages [specific audience] to [think/feel/do] because they value [value of
that audience that is being targeted].
Tickner fortifies his progressive audience by expanding on the suffering of the Indigenous people,
urging them to advocate for government reform.
How 2 → evidence from the text – look for interesting words or patterns in verbs, adjectives, etc.
Why 2→ Consequently, audience + effect (think/feel/do) + why (value) / must mention specific audience
BP3:
What statement → Author + verb + [belief + reason] / [problem + solution]
How 1 → evidence from the text – look for interesting words or patterns in verbs, adjectives, etc.
Why 1→ Consequently, audience + effect (think/feel/do) + why (value) / must mention specific audience
How 2 → evidence from the text – look for interesting words or patterns in verbs, adjectives, etc.
Why 2→ Consequently, audience + effect (think/feel/do) + why (value) / must mention specific audience
Final ‘why’ in this paragraph should act as a conclusion, a draws the argument together.
Conclusion:
N/A
Useful How stems:
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Through the word “….”, author …
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By using the phrase “….”, author…
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The phrase/word “…..” has connotations of …..
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The word/phrase “….” builds an image of …
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Here, author…
Useful Why stems:
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•
Consequently, audience + effect
(think/feel/do) + why (value)
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As a result, audience + effect (think/feel/do)
+ why (value)
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Here, audience + effect (think/feel/do) +
why (value)
Planning strategy - Chunking
Chunking refers to the process of locating an author’s arguments. These chunks form the foundation of your three
paragraphs.
Tips to help chunk:
1. Read for the main subject being discussed in the paragraph. Are they talking about this negatively or
positively?
2. Are they discussing the cause of the issue? The consequence of the issue? Or the solution to the issue?
3. A shift in tone can often mark a new argument.
4. A shift in audience can often mark a new argument
5. Conjunction or transition e.g. ‘But’ ‘However,’
What statements
Once you chunked your piece, you can then transfer the chunks into what statements. These form a topic
sentence. A full essay will have three different ‘what’ statements.
Example: Ryan illustrates how All Lives Matter is inherently oppressive because it discredits the voices of black
Americans.
How do I write these?
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Use author + verb + belief because reason.
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They must be specific and directly related to the text.
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These should build on top of the last argument
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Having established the reductive nature of the movement, Ryan challenges the notion that all lives
are equally in danger because African Americans are subject to systemic racism.
How statements
How relates to the section of the paragraph where you give evidence to support the argument. Evidence can be
anything, from nouns and verbs, to statistics and anecdotes.
Your aim is to explain why this language has been used to make this argument.
Steps
1. Find suitable evidence that is relevant and backs up the argument.
2. Embed it into a sentence. What is the context?
3. Unpack the connotations of the language. What is the author trying to convey?
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Why statements
The why is the last section that you will write on in your paragraph. It is reserved for the effect of the evidence on
the audience.
Requirements
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Should contain a strong and precise verb.
Wittman reassures the audience that…., Wittman defuses fear within the audience…
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Should include specific audiences throughout your analysis.
Wittman’s elderly audience celebrate . . . Parents within the audience, especially those with young children. . .
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Most effective analysis also discusses the particular value that an author is trying to target within an
audience.
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