Newspaper article evaluation and Gun control news - Essay Example

CNN’s Smith-Park (2013) wrote an article entitled “Pope Benedict makes first appearance since resignation news” (Smith-Park, 2013); while authors Donadio and Povoledo (2012) of The New York Times: Europe entitled their article “Successor to Benedict Will Lead a Church at a Crossroads” (Donadio & Povoledo, 2013). Different reactions and responses were noted to have been elicited from the news since it was apparently reported that the pope’s resignation came at such as surprise due to the unexpected decision and that this particular course of action has not happened since centuries ago.

As such, there were arguments that stemmed from the news determining the possibility of the resignation and verifying the validity of the reported decision. Both reports apparently used an interplay of rhetorical elements to entice readers’ appeal. Initially, logos was used through presenting logical arguments that established the rationale for the resignation and justifying the reasons as valid. As emphasized, “citing advanced years and infirmity, Benedict became the first pope in six centuries to resign” (Donadio & Povoledo, 2013, par. 2). There were evidences of using emotional appeal (pathos) through a remarked cited to have been communicated by “Vatican Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone (who) on Wednesday thanked Pope Benedict for his service.

"All of us have understood that it is precisely the deep love that your holiness has for God and the church which pushed you to this act," he said” (Smith-Park, 2013, pars. 14 & 15).. 14 & 15). The statement is aimed at eliciting empathy and confirmation to accept the Pope’s decision and acknowledging his immense contribution to the advancement of the Catholic faith. Finally, the rhetoric appeal of ethos (credibility) were evident from the nature and popularity of the sources alone: CNN and The New York Times.

Their credibility and reliability in providing unbiased and objective information has effectively been established and readers have acknowledged that information coming from these sources are worthy of respect. Gun Control News Two different news items on gun control were evaluated: one coming from the Myrtle Beach Sun News and the other from The New York Times. The article written by Wren (2013) was entitled “Statistics sometimes lost in emotional debate over gun control” published online in McClatchy for Myrtle Beach Sun News (Wren, 2013).

Concurrently, the article published in The New York Times was a Times Topic news entitled “Guns and Gun Control” (Guns and Gun Control, 2013). Wren’s (2013) article aimed to take out emotional hype on apparently evaluating the need for more stringest policies and laws on gun control through the provision of statistics (logos). Accordingly, “despite the rhetoric from both sides over the need for stricter gun control regulations – and the fear instilled by a rash of random shootings in public places nationwide – statistics show relatively few people will fall victim to violent, firearm-related crimes committed by strangers, according to a new study by the federal Bureau of Justice Statistics” (Smith-Park, 2013, par. 1). Through the use of statistical information, the author aimed to present a more logical argument that