Rhetorical Activities Q.#1

A 2005 USA Today article on abortion basically states that abortion has and will continue to be a huge issue that divides Democrats and Republicans. Complexity of the issue is evident through the fact that most people take the middle ground when it comes to abortion, instead of objectively deciding a clearcut yes or no. The importance of the the issue of abortion is a known fact with the general public, with it being a deciding factor with individuals in determining their political party. Hoewever, the issue repeatedly states cases in the past where abortion has been an issue. It talks about past elections where party leader's stands on abortion affected whether they won or lost in that particular year. It talks about how politics are constantly changing and are always pertinent in today's society. Instances that create kairos to the audience are shown through recent news conferences between the party leaders. The article draws on kairos in that way. Also, at the end of the article there's a section devoted to showing how gun control is a similar issue that divides the political parties.

The next article discusses the controversy over the Catholic's pro-life stance on abortion and some of their religious member's (e.g Sen. Joe Biden) decisions to make a stance for abortion rights. Since a reader might not understand why the issue is so urgent, it establishes relevance through stating that Joe Biden could be a link between Catholics and abortion rights. It creates kairos through the dramatic opposition shown through public comments made by more conservative Catholics. It leads the reader to wonder if other Catholics will decide to become more lenient on the subject of abortion. The article doesn't delve into any other related subjects as the USA Today article did, mainly because it seemed to want to focus its audience on the drama between the Senator and the Catholic community.