Rhetorical Precis: 9-25-12

Rhetorical Précis: “Mitt Romney runs campaign like the CEO he was…”

            (1) Journalists Kasie Hunt and Phillip Elliot, in their article, “Mitt Romney runs campaign like the CEO he was; critics worry he’s doing too much” (2012) assert that the republican candidate is overly involved in his own promotion, leading to responsibility confusions that ultimately hinder his campaign. (2) The authors back up this allegation by citing Mitt Romney’s numerous social blunders, confusing political jargon, and over-generalizations of the American people. (3) Hunt and Elliot’s purpose is to demonstrate that Mitt Romney’s CEO background hinders his leadership, in order to convince their audience that he is possibly a less favorable presidential candidate because of it. (4) They establish a formal and knowledgeable tone through factual evidence and sophisticated language that is well suited to their audience of modern adult readers.

            The authors seek to convince their audience with specific events and direct statements from Romney. As with nearly every political article, it is impossible to remove all bias from the piece. However, Hunt and Elliot do a good job of explaining both negative and positive opinions on Romney’s actions, including his own defense. They also keep the article from becoming blatantly in opposition to Romney, which one might expect when it is centered on his faults; their coverage includes the benefits of Mitt Romney’s CEO background as well as his past business successes. I found the article to be truthful and especially convincing because of its simultaneous readability and sophisticated tone.

Work Cited

Hunt, Kasie, and Phillip Elliot. "Mitt Romney runs campaign like the CEO he was; critics worry he's doing too much." www.washingtonpost.com. The Washington Post, 22 Sept. 2012. Web. 24 Sept. 2012. <http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/republican-mitt-romney-runs-campaign-like-the-ceo-he-was-critics-warn-be-a-candidate-instead/2012/09/22/e1e69ad6-0483-11e2-9132-f2750cd65f97_story_1.html>.

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Africa

            I don’t know what comes to mind when you think of Africa, but for me it was Disney- and pop culture-influenced images, brimming with either extreme beauty or unthinkable sadness. Wild scenes from The Lion King, photographs of awesome landscapes, and tribal villagers decked out in neck rings and elaborate jewelry. Or perhaps a small, dirty child kneeling in the grass and aching with hunger, fixing her intense eyes on you, asking—no, begging— for monetary support. This was all I knew of Africa, and all I wished to know. It was familiar and comfortable, and it allowed me to dismiss the entire continent with only the most meager knowledge of its countries and culture. But my entire worldview was challenged after spending two grueling weeks in the bustling city of Nairobi, Kenya.

            We came to Africa not as tourists, but as missionaries, volunteers, and friends. What I saw, experienced, and felt there can never be taken away from me. But the most significant outcome of my trip was being able to hear the stories and share the lives of so many people. These individuals, whom I had not previously known existed, shaped my opinions of happiness and sadness, and of wealth and poverty.

 I met thousands of schoolchildren, dressed in uniforms and eager to learn, although more interested at that time with touching my soft hair, my new clothes, and my pale skin. They spoke heavily accented English, but communicated mostly through nervous giggles and wide grins.

I met dozens of adults who kindly welcomed me, a foreigner, into their homes and churches. They shared their food, their knowledge, and their jokes with us, not holding anything back. We met poor Kenyans and rich Kenyans, old and young, men and women. And you know what? They made that country, hundreds of miles away from my own, feel like home.

            Reflecting on that trip now, I can recall the taste of the chipatis and samosas at teatime; the smell of exhaust while sitting in hours of traffic; the colorful market stalls and overly persistent vendors; the little schoolgirl who offered us her lunch; the young adult nicknamed “Smalls” who asked countless questions about America. All of these experiences, and many more, have shaped my mind and heart. It has made me realize how monetarily rich my family is, yet how poor in spirit some Americans are. It has opened my eyes to just one other way that people live outside of my familiar home.

I have the opportunity to return to Kenya in 2014, but I’m not sure I will go. I have become addicted to feeling culture shock, to learning things I never knew that I never knew, and to meeting people who are just like me, yet entirely different. Now I want to explore more, serve more, do more. This single trip, the trip of a lifetime, has opened a door in my future that leads to incredible possibilities, and I am eternally grateful.