With the recent debates
in response to our gun violence, there has definitely been questioning about
the second amendment to our U.S. Constitution. I found this image online, and
it is clear that the subject of this political cartoon is in regard to the
debate over our second amendment which allows American citizens the right to
bear arms. Through the use of juxtaposition, the left side of the image has a
militiamen from the colonial era of America, and on the right side of the image
there is a 21st century citizen holding an enlarged machine gun. The
use of juxtaposition clearly shows the differences in the two society’s that
are centuries apart, and how the need for this amendment hundreds of years ago
is not really applicable to our modern society.
During the context
of the 1700s-1800s, Americans needed guns to protect themselves from the
British presence still within America even after the American Revolution, in addition
to just having guns for protection. Because a majority of citizens had their
own weapons such as guns, it was added into our Bill of Rights to protect the
Americans right of the ability to own a gun for their own safety. On the right
side of the image the juxtaposition proves to be effective with the statement “hundreds
of rounds per minute-man” that clearly expresses the idea that the second amendment
is only creating issues because it is not a necessity in country to own a gun
anymore. Finally, the question on the top of the image suggests logos, by
saying “what side makes more sense?”. Thus, the audience of the image is
anybody who still believes in the justification of the second amendment, in
addition to those without an opinion because this is image is persuading that
audience in believing that the second amendment is not needed in our modern
society.
I believe this
image is successful in reaching its purpose through the use of juxtaposition to
showcase the belief that our society has outgrown this amendment and change is
needed in order to keep up with our modernized society.
This image can be found at
http://www.startribune.com/opinion/187225401.html
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