Dylan Ratigan's Show "Steel on Wheels" Challenges Students to use Entertainment to Bring Political Parties Together

I walked into the University of Denver's Newman Center with my parents on the evening of January 28^th for the live broadcast of Dylan Ratigan’s show ‘Steel on Wheels,’ but was quickly swept away from my folks when a lady asked if I was a college student. I said yes, she smiled, said great!, and shuffled me into Gates auditorium without my parents. I took slight offense to the separation from my parents and wound my way back to them. I entered Gates auditorium once more—this time with my parents--and the usher informed me that I should need to sit front and center because I look like a “brightly shining college student.” I agreed but insisted that my parents sit with me. Before Dylan Ratigan’s MSNBC show ‘Steel on Wheels’ even began, I had been stereotyped to fit the ‘item’ MSNBC wanted to broadcast. Shortly there after, the panel of commentators walked on stage, including Nicole Glaros, Managing Director of TechStars of Boulder, Matt Miller of The Washington Post and head of Left, Right & Center, and Andrew Jenks from MTV’s Word of Jenks (Aurora Advisors). The panelist I recognized immediately was Andrew Jenks, because his show targets my generation directly. The panel was carefully selected so that one or more of the members appealed to each and every member of the audience. From Dylan Ratigan’s comments and topics of debate, to the carefully chosen panel of debaters, ‘Steel on Wheels’ strategically used kairos and community commonplaces to appeal to a wide audience.

So first of all, a little background on Dylan Ratigan to better understand the purpose of his shows and the topics of debate. Dylan Ratigan is a television host that covers topics mainly on politics, global economy and relations, and financial markets. He critiques political parties and blames our recent economic failure on them. The particular subject of the January 28^th debate was the question of who creates jobs and how are we to get political parties to agree on this? Dylan Ratigan assumed the position of a politician standing directly in the middle of the two political parties, in reference to Obama’s recent State of the Union address (a very relevant issue). He believes that small business owners are the ones that truly are creating reliable jobs for people today, and that the government should therefore benefit small businesses over large corporations (Dylan).

The most fascinating part of the broadcast was the panel of debaters. Nicole Glaros holds very liberal ideas on business ownership, and made the point that when it comes to immigrants that want to open a business, we should lighten the process because after all, she said, who cares who owns the business as long as it creates jobs. Most questions related to immigrant rights were directed at Glaros given her sympathetic attitude toward the issue. She appealed to those seeking citizenship, and those who are simply seeking to open a new business.

Matt Miller hotly reiterated his opinion that the US economy needs serious reform, and the idea that keeping brains in our country regardless of where the brains come from would benefit our country greatly. Miller appealed to those sick of hearing garble from feuding political parties: an issue that is incredibly hot today.

I honestly only recognized the last of the panel: Andrew Jenks. Jenks appeals to my generation with his simple MTV show that aims to break through social barriers and reveal the hardships of different groups in society. His show’s topics range from nursing homes to professional cage fighters. But even more than that, Dylan Ratigan highlighted the fact that arts and entertainment is the only topic that both Democrats and Republicans can come together and agree upon civilly. So in this way Andrew Jenks serves as the mediator between the dueling parties, and is therefore our “only hope to spread the word of economic reform in the United States”, according to Ratigan. In the beginning, Jenks explained how he began college at the age of nineteen, but had a burning desire to videotape people and left college to pursue that dream. Everyone in the audience could relate to that as a commonplace, because after all, everyone has a dream. But aside from the political debate and his own aspirations, Jenks was the persona and linkage to his audience at the University of Denver: students the same age as he. Ratigan pointed to how Jenks really is the key to moving forward, not just because of his age but also because of his link to entertainment, a field that brings people together. Jenks responded along the lines of, “Unrelated to my show, it is sad to watch political parties fight mostly because we are never going to move forward as a country that way. You know, I work with groups of people who do not have time to care about politics because they are busy trying to feed their families or follow a dream. If you have a dream, you have to be willing to lose it all to gain it all. When you follow your dreams, you move forward, not sideways.” Jenks appeals to his-age audience members and hopes to spread his opinion that the young people of today need to move forward to make progress in this country. He suggests using the entertainment business to reach out to different groups as people of all different backgrounds come together for entertainment.

Having a diverse panel allowed for many different commonplaces so that each audience member could identify with at least one person on stage. Even seating was set up to appeal to a commonplace when I was seated in the front, so viewers would see students first. Through a strong panel of debaters that alluded to many different groups of people, and a linkage in Andrew Jenks who stands aside from all the political debate, Dylan Ratigan was able to create an environment of people with opinions on all ends of the spectrum.

Works Cited

Aurora Advisors Inc. "8 PM EST Watch Dylan Ratigan Town Hall Session on Jobs, Innovation « Naked Capitalism." Naked Capitalism. 28th Jan. 2011. Web. 06 Feb. 2011. [Online].

"Dylan Ratigan." Wapedia. Web. 06 Feb. 2011. .

Donations for the Dome, by Dish Harris

On January 20, 2011, there was an article published in the Op-Ed section of The Denver Post about the dome on the capitol building in Denver. The dome has been in major disrepair for many years (“A 10-pound chunk of cast iron fell off in 2007”) and there is discussion about whether the estimated twelve million dollars is worth spending to keep up the historical prevalence of this building. The author argues that it is a lot of money but it is a necessary action. Four million of the dollars are to be taken from the State Historical Fund but the rest has to be privately raised. This money should be raised in a timely matter and if all of the state pitches in the other eight million dollars will not be too hard of a task. Some preservationists have argued that the money should not all come from the Historical Fund because it should be used on other projects but the author argues that “the dome project is exactly the kind of work the fund is supposed to support”.

The author uses kairos to show the urgency because this is such a current issue in our area. If money isn’t raised in a relevant time span then the building will fall farther into disrepair and it will only cost the state more to fix the building. Money needs to be raised soon and so not only does this article help to raise awareness about the building but it also can be used as an advertisement to help raise the money. The Denver Post is a widely read publication and so the author chose the newspaper to help broadcast the fact that the city needs help to raise money to help save this historical monument. On the same topic of a relevant time span, the author states, “the project cannot be allowed to languish for years if the private money fails to materialize”. This statement not only talks about the fact that people should donate but also that if the money does not appear then the Historical Fund should pitch in because as previously stated this is exactly the situations that the fund should be used for because it is a monument in the city of Denver.

In the first sentence of the article, the author states, “As icons go, it has few rivals in Colorado. So saving the state’s crumbling Capitol dome is a must”. Starting the article this way really points out the urgency of this issue and also has the possibility to touch a heart string of those who are Denver locals and do not want to see the city lose this monumental building. He uses different phrases to invoke pride out of the citizens of Denver. The first line of the article really shows how the citizens should feel about the dome because it shows that this dome is a big deal in not only the city but also the state. He gains sympathy from his audience by using guilt. For example, he makes two statements about the economy. The first is, “But with another gaping state budget shortfall, there is no extra money to save the dome”. The other is, “In this down economy, that's a tall order, but it's necessary”. These two statements help to show the reader the difficulty of the fundraising efforts and why they should help the efforts to raise the money quickly.

That same sense of urgency and showing the city of Denver just how bad the situation is also shows how the author forms his pathos in this article. This issue is obviously much more apparent in the city of Denver then it would be in any other city. This issue appeals completely to the emotions of the readers of The Denver Post. The citizens of Denver should want the building to be fixed and reconstructed because it is an icon in their city. The author uses this article to persuade the readers to take part in the fundraising efforts. He states that this campaign should involve “donations from foundations, corporations, and citizens” and it “could be a good community service project”. This community believes this is an icon in the city so they should all want to take part in the reconstruction process.

Overall, this piece about the capitol dome in downtown Denver has two main purposes. Its first purpose is to make the city of Denver aware of the situation with the crumbling capitol dome and show the urgency of the fundraising. The second purpose is an underlying theme that also has to deal with the fundraising. A newspaper is highly circulated and highly read so it was an opportune moment to advertise the efforts for the dome.

Works Cited

http://www.denverpost.com/opinion/ci_17140350

The Denver Post Doesn’t Like Abuse By: Joey Glassman

The editorial, “Leave immigrant law in the desert”, is about the issue of what to do with illegal immigrants in Colorado. There has been another bill introduced by Sen. Kent Lambert, R-Colorado Springs, that the author of the editorial feels is unnecessary and redundant (The Denver Post). They feel this bill also may be too permitting of misconduct towards illegal immigrants, or people that “look” like illegal immigrants: “Lambert told The Post his bill goes a step further than earlier Colorado laws by allowing police to arrest people if there is probable cause to believe they are in the country illegally or if they have committed serious crimes or are facing deportation. The phrase ‘probable cause’ is most worrisome.” (The Denver Post) The editorial, by and large, is well written and strong.

The editor includes in the article a strong claim. He states that there is no point to putting a law in effect if there already are similar laws that aren’t being enforced. In other words, push more towards the laws that have already passed legislature. They’ve been passed, so use them. Shouldn’t we enforce the laws that have already been passed? I may not be an expert in law, but what is the point of the law if no one is going to enforce it? Also, is another similar bill really going to be any more effective than the last? If you put a bowl of water in front of a cat and it doesn’t drink, will putting down a mug with water compel the feline to sip? If yet another illegal immigrant bill is thrown on the table, will it help in discerning who is an illegal immigrant and who isn’t?

Another persuasive argument that the editor uses in the article is that giving police the ability to judge based on probable cause is a tricky proposition. The editor argues that “it could give law enforcement the green light to harass immigrants — illegal or otherwise.” (The Denver Post) This is a valid point. This may not be true for all, but with this bill in effect, police have a ticket-to-ride to judge who looks “illegal”. Imagine walking down a street and seeing a fellow of the Mexican persuasion strolling down the path. He is walking to his job as a construction worker to support his wife and two kids. This mild-mannered man is doing nothing wrong, right? Then, out of nowhere, a police officer in his patrol car stops the gentleman. After a bit of conversation, the officer puts the gentleman in cuffs, and takes him into the patrol car. They drive away to the police station. The once hard-working father is now a criminal for “looking” like an illegal immigrant, whether he is a legal citizen or not. What will his family do without his emotional and monetary support? The editor doesn’t want humans subject to cruelty or violence, and this is made more possible when police have the right to interrogate whomever they please if they feel it is “necessary”.

The editor was very timely about posting this editorial. It is very appropriate to the political current events. The Colorado bill was introduced by Sen. Kent Lambert in late January of 2011. As well, the author was very effective when integrating the Arizona bill regarding the same issue. The Arizona bill wasn’t introduced yesterday, but it is recent enough for people to still be sore about it. Comparing the two bills helps to get at a tender spot for some. This anger that the editor draws from his audience only strengthens the argument. The people that are angered by Arizona’s decision will not their state to do like Arizona.

So what is the point of being redundant? People get to hear what you want to say more than once.

The Denver Post Pushes for a Full Time Leader in Colorado, by Renee Andrews

There is a recent flurry of political activity in Colorado higher than what many would consider normal. Denver’s previous mayor recently became governor of Colorado, a new secretary of state (Scott Gessler) was just elected, as well as a new treasurer (Walker Stapleton). In local politics, there seems to be a recent trend of working part time jobs in addition to the job a particular politician was elected for. Gessler plans to work five hours per week moonlighting for his previous law firm; Stapleton will be consulting for his previous firm as well; Attorney General John Suthers is a part-time law professor at both the University of Denver and University of Colorado- Colorado Springs. It is possible that the pay state officials receive is too low. Unfortunately, this relatively low pay leads to less time spent working on local political affairs which need to be addressed. A full-time economic director is a possible necessity given the state of the job market (The Denver Post, 2011). The editors of The Denver Post tackled the issue of payment of elected state officials in relation to the amount of time they are spending doing the job they were elected to perform. Throughout the editorial, Colorado needs full-time leaders, the editors address the issue in a way that keeps the concept relevant and important to the citizens of Colorado.

“If you haven't been warned, Scott Gessler Syndrome continues to spread across Colorado. And there's no cure in sight,” (The Denver Post, 2011). The opening line of the editorial vaguely introduces the subject at hand in a way that all people can relate to. Epidemics of disease are concepts that Colorado (and extending to global) citizens can understand and this analogy of politics to disease makes this connection. Immediately, the authors of this editorial address the current problem with a twist on wording to pull in the audience quickly and effectively. Throughout the editorial, the authors use common language in order to make a little light of the situation and make relevant comparisons to what is actually occurring with the politicians. For example, the phrase “It beats cleaning gutters, anyway,” (The Denver Post, 2011) is used to compare and explain Gessler’s statement that he would moonlight for his previous firm. Here he would be making somewhere around $22,000 annually for only five hours per week of work. Another example surfaces when discussing Dwayne Romero. Instead of working full time as leader of the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade, he will work four day weeks and then travel to Aspen – “yeah, Aspen” (The Denver Post, 2011) – to moonlight for his old investment firm. The phrase, “yeah, Aspen,” addresses a commonplace that Coloradans tend to hold about money. Coloradans are aware and believe that Aspen is an expensive and luxurious mountain town reserved for those with money enough to pay for its high priced goods and activities. As with the previous examples, this phrase provides a connection the reader can make between one concept and another regarding pay. Finally, the closing sentence of the editorial introduces a maxim to effectively make the point that pay needs to be considered in order to ensure that the state government is using as much time as possible to work on state affairs: “Someone needs to be around the Capitol at night to turn off the lights,” (The Denver Post, 2011). Each of the aforementioned phrases aid in the communication from writer to reader of the main point of the article. They each help to support the argument in a way that does not blatantly state it, but still sends the message.

The phrases used throughout the editorial help to build the ethos of the editors. By using casual maxims and wording styles, the writers provide a sense of approachableness to the reader. This tactic makes the reader feel more comfortable through the reading process as well as more connected to the theme of the article. To establish further confidence in the readers, the editors used real examples and numbers when backing up their argument. Each time the editors addressed payment of each politician they presented the numbers each would be earning. This shows that the editors researched the topic significantly therefore giving them credibility and reliability when it comes to the information they provide.

There have been several changes to Colorado state government recently in terms of newly elected officials and these recent changes have and can lead to further alterations or continued mistakes. The opening line gives the reader a sense that the political scene in Colorado is starting to become a bit corrupt, or at least problematic, and that something needs to be done about it. Through the language used in the editorial, particularly in the first two sentences, the editors appeal to kairos very effectively. The authors demonstrate the currency of the issue by stating how recent each of the elections and appointments are and that the plans for each of the mentioned politicians are currently in the works or are already in play. The authors also bring up the issue of underpay, to which they stated would be addressed in January 30^th’s Sunday Perspective. This implies the notion that the issue is ongoing and will still need to be addressed at later dates. Finally, the authors address the issue of the current economic status of the country in relation to difficulty of finding jobs; an issue that most Americans are concerned about and hope to find a solution to sooner rather than later. From the very beginning of the editorial to the very end, the authors are sure to imply the urgency of the matter at hand.

The problem to which the editors are speaking as well as the argument they support is introduced quickly and effectively through use of maxims, common language, evidence, explanations, commonplaces, and strong appeal to kairos. Through these tools, the authors were able to communicate their stance as well as the issue at hand in a way that was easy for the readers to understand and relate to.

Works cited

The Denver Post. (2011, January 29). Colorado needs full-time leaders. Retrieved from http://www.denverpost.com/editorials/ci_17231076

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Denver Post Editorial Urges Support for Big Air Event, by Sheridan Sleeper

The recent editorial in the Denver Post titled, “Share Civic Center for Big Air event? You bet”, addresses the Big Air skiing and riding competition in downtown Denver. Freestyle skiers and snowboarders from all over the world, join together in downtown Denver to throw some of the best tricks seen in the World Cup. The event draws in hundreds of people and costs roughly $800,000. The ramp, built of steel, scaffolding, and man-made snow is “101 feet high, 300 feet long and 80 feet wide”. Although this event seems incredible there’s a catch. People are upset that the public park gets closed to the public for an event that costs more than $45 to attend. Also, it jeopardizes the condition of the park because of the construction and enormous crowds. This editorial is in favor of the event over preservation of the public park, in this specific case, because it is an honor to host the Big Air competition in Denver. This is such special event that most Denverites take pride in attending.

The article was published during a busy time for Colorado with the X Games beginning in Aspen, the Big Air competition, and the consist push for park conservation. Being a green city that runs mainly off of solar panels, people are concerned with the upkeep of Denver and maintaining the reputation of a clean city with clean parks. The authors use this time, or kairos, to voice their opinions that it is okay to host events such as Big Air in our parks seeing the attention it lures from the community. These events provide such a pleasure to viewers who attend and to have some of the best winter athletes in the world in downtown Denver is an honor. Many of the athletes performing between Tuesday and Wednesday traveled straight through Denver onto Aspen for the X Games where they’ll perform the same tricks on a much larger scale.

The authors provide a valid argument that people should be willing to give up a piece of Civic Park for such an extraordinary event. They push this argument through statements such as, “Most Denverites who work and live near Civic Center were, we suspect, as intrigued and entertained by the construction of this mega-ramp as we were, despite the inconvenience of not being able to walk across the park for a few days. The spectacle has been worth witnessing even if you had no intention of buying a ticket to watch it.” The colossal structure is quite amazing to see and there is a public viewing section in a part of the park that is free. This area is somewhat obstructed to viewers however. The statements made in support of their claims are sarcastic and tend to mock those in opposition to such an event. The end of the article states, “And with any luck, if they return to Civic Center a few days later, they'll find it just as it was before Big Air took center stage: open to one and all — as public parks should be, most of the time.” People need to be accepting of Big Air because this inconvenience only occurs once a year.

The style of the article is conversational and as a reader, one can feel this person would be approachable in public. They joke about the commercialization of Denver parks, but it is tastefully done and they avoid overkill. The commercialization of parks is a serious concern; in this article though, they show how a rare event is acceptable to host and people in disagreement are ridiculous. The authors are persuasive through their claim that, it would be nice for such an event to be free but if so, the $800,000 would come from tax payers. Using tax payers to pay for such an expensive event would create more problems then closing off part of a public for a week.

In order to prove their credentials, the writers provide support from city councilwoman, Jeanne Robb. She states, “I know there is a basic philosophical viewpoint in crossing the line and commercializing our parks, [but] to me, this is perfect for Civic Center Park. Sure, it's big. But let's see how it goes. It seems like everyone is getting really excited." The city was very much in favor of the event, which meant for those who were not, they had to deal. Including statements from someone such as Jeanne Robb, adds significantly to their persuasiveness. In addition, the numbers of sponsors who support this event as well as the types of sponsors contribute to the hype. To oppose such an event is absurd and those people are being difficult for the sake of arguing and creating controversy.

Alex George: Final Draft of DenveRhetor (WRIT 1133)

DenveRhetor Analysis: Art Gallery Thoughts
-Project 1-

On the first Friday of every month, the Art District on Santa Fe in downtown Denver holds an event called “First Friday Art Walk” where viewers have the opportunity to experience pieces of art from all over the world. The six blocks that make up Denver’s art district are home to more than thirty galleries, each displaying a variety of pieces. They’re all types of art from modern and contemporary to tribal and traditional. Each gallery has its own persona and style of artwork that makes it unique. There was one gallery in particular that embodied a number of interesting aspects and is therefore subject for a rhetorical analysis. The gallery allows unique individuals to connect as a group through the shared experience of interpreting art.
In order to properly analyze this gallery, it is important to understand the uniqueness of it. Allow your imagination to visit the gallery in an effort to gain a sense of familiarity with the layout. Upon entering the gallery it becomes very clear that you will be exposed to many different types of art. You are greeted by a wall that houses two large square canvases about three feet by three feet, and are hung side by side. They each have a very large abstract face drawn in a single bright color that is larger than the canvas can support and therefore drifts off of the surface. On the other side of the wall there is a series of four photographs that could be described at “creative lifestyle” portraits. They show four different people adorned with oversized glasses, shirts painted on them instead of wearing clothing, bright and exotic outfits flowing on a dancer, and even a close-up of a scruffy college student enjoying his Saturday night. All of these lifestyle shots are the exact same size and are hung next to each other on one wall. Directly across from these photographs are hanging sheets of chicken wire with bright yarn, string, and cloth woven into them to create a design. Behind the chicken wire are oversized sheets of watercolor paper with washes of color covering them. The paper is warped from the watercolor and is not flesh with the chicken wire, but instead is several inches behind it, mounted to the wall. In another open room the walls are covered in various squares and rectangles of plywood that have bold, organic and natural colors used as a background and bright, swirling continuous lines painted over the top. There is also a huge, hot pink and very conspicuously shaped paper Mache tower that is in the middle of the room. This tower connects the ceiling to the ground and had lime green vines wrapping around it. Next to the tower, twenty or so scientific sketches of flowers all hung in rows next to each other. They are all exactly the same size and are similarly sketched.
The exigence of the art gallery is the social purpose that it serves. It brings together different groups of people to interact and creates an important relationship. This relationship is significant because it encompasses a multitude of social classes, political views, financial backgrounds, and lifestyles. This particular gallery is also important because it is providing a place for this large array of people to come together, and is not primarily concerned with business and making a profit. They have created a niche for themselves in this respect and provided a place for creative energy to flow freely.
The audience for the gallery is comprised of a lot of different personalities. The initial introduction to the audience is young, liberal college students hanging on their friends, contrasted by the more sophisticated “business crowd” sipping wine and socializing. Of course there is a larger variety of people incorporated in the audience, the above example was simply provided to show the vast differences. Though this is an accurate description of the physical audience present at the gallery opening, the intended audience is even more interesting. The intended audience is individuals looking to be inspired. Regardless of if the people are young, old, wealthy, poor, educated, or uneducated, the intended audience is people who want to challenge their mind and allow themselves to think creatively. It is essentially anyone willing to allow themselves to interpret the art in their own way.
In the most literal sense, the purpose of this gallery is to provide the people of Denver with the opportunity to enjoy contemporary art. However, it seems to go even deeper than that. The noticeably intentional selection of art begs the interpretation and thought of its viewers. The wide array of styles, as described earlier, provides an opportunity for the individuals to connect with a number of pieces. It also creates an opportunity for a variety of people to come together in one space and interact with both each other and the art. This gallery creates a community that otherwise would not exist due to the fact that the intended audience plays a large role in the essence as well as the success of the gallery.
I wanted to create a piece of art that would accurately represent my argument. My argument was that the purpose of the gallery is to create a community that would not exist without the interaction of the intended audience. To accomplish this, I created a multi-media piece of art that incorporated different styles from the gallery itself. Some of the materials that I used included a piece of a picture, paper, paint, stickers, ink, jewels, and wood. My goal was to have all of the different medias compliment each other while still standing out, just as the pieces in the gallery did. I also wanted the collection of materials to represent the variations in the audience. For example, the small jewels represent the classy, more sophisticated crowd, while the orange wooden numbers represented the young, athletic college students. The piece was created to show the cohesive community that was formed as a result of the different styles of the art in the gallery.