GQ Controversy: Rhetorical Analysis

Essay 1
Gabriella Vick
Baker College of Muskegon
To live in a “free” country where you get criticized for speaking your mind is a sad place. After being mute from the GQ controversy, A&E star, Phil Robertson decides to speak his mind. From gun control, government assistance, to technology- Phil talks about it all.
One thing that Phil talks about in this article is government assistance. Phil believes in self-reliance. This means he believes in only using his power and recourses, as opposed to that of others. He talks about teaching his four children (Willie, Jase, Jep, and Alan) the same. “No one owes you anything. I don’t think the 100 million people need assistance to the point we’re giving. The poor will always be with us. We need to love and care for them.” (Page 1) He feels like people need to suck it up and help one another.
Another topic that he covers is gun ownership.
If you didn’t already know, Phil Robertson and his family are all for gun ownership. He brings up a valid point that thousands of years ago when guns didn’t exist, people still managed to kill other people. “It’s never been a weapons problem. It’s a human heart condition of anger and hatred.” (Pg. 2)
Last but not least, Phil discusses his opinions on technology. He openly admits that he has never owned a smartphone, never turned on a computer, and has never used any sort of social media. Phil’s thesis is: “Smart phones only seem to make their users dumber.” (Pg. 2) He is an old-school type of person, and doesn’t need to rely on electronics in order to live his
life.
After reading through the article it made me realize that I agree with Phil Robertson’s beliefs and opinions. The second amendment of the Constitution clearly states that as United States citizens we have the right to gun ownership. With or without guns, people are still going to hurt people if that’s what they want to do. Secondly, there are many jobs available that might not be 300,000-dollar salary jobs, but they’re still going to provide an income. It’s easier to just fill out paperwork and get “free money”, but I support Phil’s belief that people should only use the money that they earn. Finally, technology can be a very useful thing, but also has a down side. In this day in age, children start getting cell phones and computers at very young ages. Friends hang out with each other and barely speak to one another because they’re all so distracted by their phones. Instead of communicating in person, they isolate themselves by spending most of their time on social media. Technology can still be a useful, however. When you get lost, you can just use your GPS and find your way safely and efficiently.
The article that I read about has many controversial issues. There will always be different beliefs and perspectives on topics such as gun ownership, government assistance, and technology. Phil Robertson, along with the rest of the country, should be able to openly share their opinions without issues. The great new about peoples different opinions, is it will always to keep the information flowing.

Reference
Us Weekly. (2014, September 8). Duck Dynasty's Phil Robertson breaks his silence. In the Edge. Retrieved October 3, 2014, from http://www.bostonherald.com/entertainment/television/television_news/2014/09/duck_dynastys_phil_robertson_breaks_his_silence