Kristof Response (HW-Aug 27)

Jelani Pritchard

RWS 100

27 Aug. 2014

Kristof Response

            In the article, “Do We Have the Courage to Stop This?,” Nicholas Kristof presents a series of claims that addresses the issue of gun possession in the United States. Kristof first stated that children in America are more likely to be murdered with guns than children in other industrialized countries. After, he then follows up with evidence from a health specialist from Harvard.  Kristof’s main claims shared the same theme through the article. It was emphasized by Kristof that the United States of America needs to enforce more regulation on gun possession. Although it is addressed several times that the ban of possessing a gun in the United States is unrealistic, it is stressed that more restriction of gun possession will allow gun related deaths to decline greatly. The types of evidence that Kristof provided in the article consisted of statistics, comparison with other countries, few examples, one personal experience, facts, and a few statements by sources with credentials.  Several strategies the author, Nicholas Kristof, uses in the article to persuade the audience was repetition of stating a claim, use of personal experience and statistical evidence, and the style and tone of engaging with the audience. I personally think the strategies the author uses are fairly effective. They force the audience to absorb information and claims and to think about the issue. The engagement of the audience Kristof uses plays to his advantage in getting his point across.