Through various artifacts we've explored in our current unit, we have learned the effectiveness of using dichotomies. Patrick Henry used this tactic of persuasion in his letter he wrote to the president. Throughout this document he associates inaction to war with slavery: "There is no retreat but in submission and slavery." This theme of enslavement is weaved throughout the entirety of his letter as he makes constant references to chains and surrendering to tyrannical hands. This fuels the persuasiveness of his last and most popular line: "Give me liberty or give me death!" The dichotomy is so convincing because it oversimplifies the decision of what the president must do: clearly he will not choose death, and so the only choice is liberty.
Two hundred and thirty three years later, our politicians continue to use this art of persuasion to win votes. In a recent speech given by Senator John McCain, he outlines his promises to combat "evil" if president. In addressing the recent financial crisis, he states he will do more to aid the victims of "this evil form of 21st-century slavery." To claim that Americans are enslaved in debt might be a bit of a stretch, but was ultimately proven effective in swaying his audience to believe he is the better candidate. McCain saying he'll "combat evil" suggests the imagery of a hero fighting the villain. This lends us a sense of trust for McCain and the comfort of protection, precisely what Americans are looking for in this unsteady time of peril. It's only when we dissect these dichotomies and recognize their far fetched nature that we may realize they are not quite as persuasive as we thought they were.
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