Undocumented, Indispensable by Anna Quinden - Essay Example

Undocumented, Indispensable by Anna Quinden 1. Analyze the cartoon on page 137 of Perspectives on Argument and discuss the answers to the following questions:188 a. What is the claim? Claim is the main thesis of an essay that sets the direction of the argument. In the essay written by Anna Quinden entitled Undocumented, Indispensable the main claim is that the Immigrant issue has already assumed a proportion that has to be addressed seriously. b. What is the support? Support of a claim is the justification or argument to substantiate the claim. The support of the claim lies in the first few paragraphs of the essay wherein the author vividly described the march of the immigrants from Market Street in San Francisco that numbered in thousands that the author described it to be near earthquake albeit not in geological sense. The marchers raised valid arguments about their status through their placards that says “I am a worker, not a criminal”. c. What are the warrants? Warrants are the reasoning links between the support and the claim. They are the persuasion of the argument. In this essay, the warrants tell that in addressing the immigration issue, one should look at the whole issue and that includes the contribution of the immigrants and not only the common arguments raised against them such as social security costs etch. d. What is the backing? Backing is the argument of the warrant and is often characterized by the word because. In Quinden’s essay entitled Undocumented, Indispensable the backing is of the warrant that we should also look at the contribution of the immigrants in addressing them because they may in fact, be the ones who are keeping our system afloat with their contributions (through taxes) and yet are not entitled to the full benefits of social security (such as claiming for pension). e. Are rebuttals or qualifiers present? If so, describe them. Yes. The writer recognized the arguments against immigrants that they still go to hospitals, send their children to schools and that costs United States socially. The argument raise against immigrants that their cheap labor drive wages down are valid. We benefit from it because they help build cheap houses, bring our food fresh to the detriment of American workers. 2. Perspectives on Argument: Page 208-10 Exercise C Immigration is an emotionally charged topic in the United States. Read the essay, “Undocumented, Indispensable.” Begin your comments by noting your emotional response to the essay. Then, make a critical note of the primary claim this author makes. Use the questions in Exercise C to guide your analysis of the essay. Does the author strengthen or change your stance on this issue? The primary claim of the author that immigrant issue has already assumed a proportion that has to be addressed seriously was well positioned. Quinden did not put her main argument nonchalantly or straightforwardly but rather, she used colorful descriptions and analogies that engage the readers. She used the description of geologic earthquake and comparing the march to the other important marches such as march about Vietnam War and feminist rallies. After engaging the reader about her claim, she then conditioned the reader to her arguments that there side of the arguments that were not considered about immigrants such as their contributions through the taxes they pay that they may in fact be the one helping to keep the system afloat. It also helped to mention that they are being demonized as social costs when in fact they work and also contribute to the social security yet not entitled to full benefits. In essence, Quinden humanized the issue that immigrants are not devils or social security malaise that drains our resources but rather as individuals who helps to keep our way of life. They may have kept wages down but they also keep the prices our homes cheap and ensure that our foods are cheap. Such, many employers who are also campaign contributors turn their eyes the other way about the immigration status of their worker. And perhaps they may be doing this because they are waiting for immigration laws to be more responsive with the reality of the times. Immigrants are workers and therefore are tax payers and not social liabilities. She mentioned America’s primacy to human rights to put value on her arguments and help the reader see the humane aspect of the issue. Finally, she cited personal experience with her grandchildren being a grandmother of immigrants herself to appeal to the human emotion of the reader knowing that everybody has a soft side for children. The author strengthened my stance on the issue to look immigrants favorably. I particularly, more inclined to enlist them instead as our workers, as what President Obama said in his Inaugural Address, to help build this country instead of demonizing them and driving them away. For all we know, they may have contributed more to this country more than we realize. 3. Read the student essay “Dear Boss” on page 296. What is the issue?  If you were the boss, how would you respond to this letter? Try to incorporate a Rogerian approach. However, if you feel the need to, combine traditional and Rogerian approaches.  This is not to be a lengthy letter of response; just share briefly how you would respond to the student, especially from the Rogerian pattern. Rogerian approach in argument is basically finding the middle ground or consensus between two parties. The letter of the student/employee was basically a Rogerian approach because it first recognized the need of the boss and then explain his side without antagonizing and then proposed a solution or compromise on how they could both meet their expectations about tasks and the company in general. My response would be Rogerian as well. First, show appreciation on how the student took the effort to explain his or her side as well as acknowledging where, I, the boss is coming from. I will reiterate his argument to convey that I understand where the student is coming from. I will also acknowledge his proposal to find a compromise on how to arrive at a mutually satisfying solution. Finally, I ask him for a discussion on how we can expand our options to be mutually satisfactorily. The student employee is basically dodging more work in his letter but his Rogerian approach justified it beautifully. But it has a appoint that a compromise should be made that he or she is a student with a limited time. The personal discussion will have an objective appraisal of the issue where I can heck his or her schedule, compare the actual work on how it fit and evaluate what additional work I can give him or her. Read More