FIRE Rhetorical Analysis Essay

Rhetorical analysis of FIRE

The mission of many colleges is to educate students and advance the frontier of human knowledge hence preparing them to take on the real world. In broadening their perspectives of the world, students are bound to be exposed to the offense which is highly unrealistic and utterly incompatible with higher education principles and goals. With generation changing, individuals are becoming cautious regarding what they do or say or even let their children go out and do. Colleges and universities have established detailed and thorough speech codes which outline what the students ought to say or not say. In implementing those speech codes, they have designated free speech zones on the remote sections of the college or universities

for ideas deemed disagreeable to others. One organization aimed at protecting the student’s First Amendment rights at higher education institutions in the United States is the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE). Although the organization is broadly concerned with rights such as legal equality, due process, religious liberty and sanction of conscience, it primarily focuses on campus speech codes which prohibit certain kinds of language. Rhetorically, FIRE website on campus rights appears to be focused on defending and sustaining individual student's free speech rights using the principles of logos, pathos, and ethos to direct their concerns; however, they neglect to address other audiences such as administrators in the same way.

Logos
The FIRE utilizes the principals of logos throughout their website in an attempt to persuade their audience regarding free speech in colleges and universities by presenting free speech cases they have handled and preparing speech codes reports.

Pertaining to free speech cases, the FIRE has laid out a case involving the Binghamton University campus police surveilling students and threatening them with prosecution over anti-racism flyers (Foundation for Individual Rights in Education n.p). The flyers criticized the campus administration response to recent perceived racist expressions. After the campus pointed out that the expressive activity of the students was the violation of the law and that of the student handbook, FIRE responded to the case. The website has asserted that FIRE response to this case was writing to the school administration and requesting the campus to end its investigations immediately and ensure the campus police receive proper training regarding student’s right to distribute any expressive materials on the campus (FIRE

n.p).
By maintaining the use of logos throughout the website, FIRE offers reasonable claim regarding the fact of free speech and offering proof to support their claim. FIRE website has addressed the issue of speech codes in colleges and universities. The site provides various FIRE’s publications and annual reports which condense its research to an accessible picture of the state of free expression, freedom of conscience and free speech in the campuses within the country. The website cites numerous figures to point out the state of free speech within the colleges and campus within the US. The cite has revealed that the newest FIRE's speech code report pointed out that 32.3% of 461 universities and colleges which were analyzed maintained policies which seriously infringed upon the student's free speech rights (FIRE n.p).

Pathos
At first glance, the FIRE website may appear to use little or no pathos, and this is almost entirely factual considering a closer examination reveals that the usage of pathos is significant.

Within their logical arguments and statements of authority, the FIRE provides some principles of pathos aimed at giving further persuasion to their audience. First, FIRE focuses on its mission and the issue of the First Amendment in order to make people more passionate about why free speech is important in the campus (FIRE n.p). The website outlines that freedom of speech is a vital American and human right which specifically needs to be valued and protected in the American universities and colleges than any other place. There is also an emphasis on university typically exists to educate students besides advancing the frontiers of human knowledge, however, this cannot be achieved when students are punished for expressing their views. The fact that freedom of speech in many American campuses is under the continuous threat in favor of comfort and politics helps carry FIRE argument

forward.
In appealing to the emotion of the audience, the FIRE has also used pathos as rhetorical tricks. Undeniably, FIRE makes the audience comprehend what this non-profit organization does to ensure the First Amendment right of college and university students is protected (FIRE n.p). The site has clearly pointed out that FIRE focuses on effectively and decisively safeguard the fundamental rights of tens of thousands students within US campus while at the same time reaching millions within or out of campus through outreach and education. In many occasions, it typically brings about favorable resolutions to not only the people facing rights violations but also to many others who are affected by censorship culture within higher education institutions. Also, the FIRE has cited that it works across the country and in all types of media to empower campus activist, educate the public regarding the state of rights within the campus and reform policies which are restrictive.
Ethos
Another rhetorical trick which FIRE uses to convince its audience is the ethos. The foundation for Individual Rights in Education is largely a factual site which attempts to use the principle of ethos in order to supply proof and credibility to the claim they make. First they have outlined their programs. FIRE typically carries its missions through a number of programs which are focused on both awareness and activism. Some of the programs include the Individual Rights Defense Program which provides assistance to the individual student’s whose civil liberties have been violated and Policy Reform Project as another program which encompasses the efforts by FIRE to systematically and proactively challenge the policies within the campus which violates students’ rights (FIRE n.p).
The FIRE website on free speech is also a largely factual site which uses the principle of ethos by providing additional links to internal websites to solidify their supplied knowledge (FIRE n.p). For instance, the library section FIRE cites the First Amendment. Through the citing, they are able to enhance the public understanding regarding the First Amendments freedoms including the free speech. Therefore they able to convince the audience that the information they are providing is truthful and give credibility to their claims. In addition, FIRE website has also underlined that it’s the only organization which is devoted solely to defend the fundamental freedoms of students within its nation’s campus considering. Campuses are the place in the society where such liberties are vital to the development of future leaders and preservation of the constitutional character (FIRE n.p).

Conclusion
Throughout their website on campus rights, the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education uses the rhetorical tricks including logos, ethos, and pathos to help solidify its main arguments and facts within the minds of readers. Throughout the website, they state logical arguments and facts and follow up them to various links within the site in order to sufficiently appeal to their audience. By effectively using those rhetorical principles, the FIRE has developed a website which can be understood and respected by a variety of people besides their intended audience.

Works Cited
Foundation for Individual Rights in Education. Student Network - FIRE. FIRE, 2018, https://www.thefire.org/student-network/. Accessed 7 June 2018.