Hemp Rhetorical Analysis

Hemp: Industrial Crop or Dangerous Drug In society today, the Government has always argued both the pros and cons to legalizing the use of medical marijuana and hemp as an industrial harvest to make rope, fibers, oils, clothing and medication. In the article “The Battle Over Hemp on an Indian Reservation,” Virginia Heffernan argues that the Lakota family, The White Plumes, of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, should be able to grow each and every plant that might help the tribe get through this unyielding economical time. Heffernan effectively uses ethos, pathos and logos to actively support her argument in the article. Virginia Heffernan, Ph.D. English major from Harvard, began her television career in 2003 writing for the New York times which led her to work for the Sunday magazine as an internet columnist. She later co-authored a comic novel and became one of the first television critics. (New York Times Article .2007) Heffernan develops her credibility, or ethos, by using a documentary on PBS called “Standing Silent Nation” which was aired July 3, 2007, to show her support for the Lakota Family.(Heffernan). Heffernan focuses her
attention on the general or median audience. Her article was published in the New York Times and had a widespread of readers from many nationalities, different ages and a variety of communities and groups. There are certain words Heffernan uses in her article that connect her with the audience and relate her feelings as well as her readers to the Lakota family especially if they were in a similar situation.

After reading the article, Heffernan is clearly angered and touched by the way the Drug Enforcement Administration (D.E.A.) aggressively tries to stop the harvest of hemp on the Indian Reservation. Heffernan uses pathos by stating that the D.E.A. “Not only seem heartless; they also come across as idiots”. Federal Agents used several strategies like taking truck loads, weed whackers, and even guns to seize the hemp crops. Every year since the first raid, the White Plumes family tried to plant the hemp crop, but with every attempt comes disappointment because of the governmental policies. “They make it hard to tell how and why they keep going when the cards seem so plainly stacked against them” The Oglala Lakota’s are trying to identify and publicly state reasons why the purpose of the viable crop is vital to the tribes livelihood.
The use of language in the article takes her readers away from ethos and focuses more on pathos. Using words such as idiots, stupid and jerks clearly show that she is angered by the government. Her choice of words help persuade her audience to see her support for the White Plumes family and there attempt to make a living on the industrial crop; Hemp. With 85 percent of the tribal members being unemployed, Heffernan knows that the hemp crop could provide employment for many of those that are jobless.
Other great logos used during the PBS documentary, included Mr. Woolsey interview who knows by everyday usage that the 25,000 versatile beneficial uses of hemp should undoubtedly allow the government to see there is no logically reason to ban hemp. By pointing out that hemp is only a cousin to marijuana proves evidence, or logos, that it does not have the same effects or uses as marijuana. Hemp has only 1% of THC compared to marijuana which has 20% and shows it is almost impossible to get high from. (Heffernan) As stated by Heffernan hemp does not contain significant levels of “the psychoactive substance THC,” which paints the picture of how harmless hemp
is. In her article, Heffernan does a wonderful job of persuading her readers to understand what the White Plumes Lakota families are going through with the government, but she doesn’t give any logos or facts about how the hemp is beneficial to them and in what ways does it help them. She doesn’t have any information of where the money will go or contribute to and what the purpose of the hemp crop is to the Lakota Family.
Throughout the essay, I could see a lot of ways Virginia Heffernan could have used a little more ethos, pathos and logos. Her article was very short, but I feel like she could’ve have added some more in depth details too support her argument. Heffernan use of ethos, pathos, and logos allows the audience to see the many ways the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation is struggling to justify the use of hemp. Many facts and opinions expressed by Heffernan on how governmental laws can dictate a sovereign nation’s rights to self-government can be seen as repression of a cultural and traditions. So, the question remains why the federal government doesn’t legalize hemp for the use of rope, fibers, oils, clothing and medication. The Lakota family remains in battle with tyranny to prove that hemp means more to them than just how the government plainly understands it.

Work Cited: http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/category/virginia-heffernan/ http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/03/arts/television/03sile.html