1. Zachary Monks Subject: Politics

2. Reflective Introduction As I was doing this project I realized that when someone publishes any form of persuasive photos, or propaganda. This was an eye opener for myself. As I went into this project I had the normal college sophomore idea; “Get an ‘A’ and get out.” Normally I don’t find projects interesting but I learned several things. The idea of persuasiveness, rhetoric and politics are often, one in the same.

3. Continued I realized that because I chose to do politics and it’s relationship to power, there is often a focus upon persuading someone. When analyzing these photos I noticed that nearly all of photos had a mode of ‘persuasive.’ While doing this I did my best to avoid letting my personal political beliefs interfere with my analysis. I’ll admit that I am typically a right leaning person. I had tried my best to pick photos that expressed beliefs upon both sides of the aisle.

4. Continued The rhetoric often expressed is very biased. I tried to read these photos without personal bias and giving the author or photographer any form of credit without knowing his or her beliefs. I also tried to look at these photos and think to myself, “Is this photo created solely on personal beliefs, or rational statistics and/or studies.” I’ve always been a person to keep this in mind. Even today I try read all of these political posters and reflect to make sure I don’t give some off the road ‘wannabe’ politician expressing his or her beliefs. This rhetoric needs to be studied, not just looked upon like how we as people do outside of projects like these.

5. Continued I realize that power in politics was an interesting subject to use. Politics is always a subject in which a person can use his or her own views to express power over the people. You see this all the time in politics, a person who has an infatuation with being in power and exerting their personal beliefs over the country. This occurs on both sides, this is one of the reason I decided to pick photos from both sides of the aisle.

6. Reflective Introduction (Finished) All in all I believe that this project was an interesting one. It definitely gave me a different way of looking at the photos and power of the world. There is so many sub-genres and all of these genres can express different means of power. I believe that by choosing the power of politics I have chose the subject that has had the most influence over everyone in the world, and thus has the most power of any sub-genre.

7. Photo 1 A title for this is “Respect your Owners.” The topic is the debt ceiling and China. The image Sub-genre is a political cartoon. The mode is informative. This was found using a political cartoon search.

8. Photo 1 Continued Found How?: Political Cartoon Search This image was selected because it shows the steep political divide among Americans and reflects and issue that literally effects everyone in the USA This image states that political power is often undermined by political gains or goals. This also is completely non-partisan as both major political parties are negatively affected, whether said party is in control or not.

9. Photo 1 Continued I believe this reflects power of politics because the debt ceiling was a huge part of rhetoric in this past 2012 election. Handling debt and the budget is always hotly contested. Debt can often hold power over the political party, or the party hold power over the debt

10. Photo 2 An image title is “Origins.” The topic of this image is political gaming over perceived connections. The mode of the photo is persuasive.

11. Photo 2 Continued This was found in a liberal leaning magazine. This was found by a political cartoon search on Google chrome. This image was selected because is shows the power that political biases can affect content of a magazine or any media institution.

12. Photo 2 Continued This image reflects the power that media, and its beliefs, can effect the bias of content. The power of personal political opinion can affect any media institution and have ideological influence over the reader. I believe this because many media channels are affected, or even criticized, for their political bias.

13. Photo 3 A title for this image is “What’s with the War?!” The topic of this photo is the war in the middle east. The sub-genre of this is photograph. This photograph is persuasive.

14. Photo 3 Continued This was found on the internet. This was found when searched by Google under “anti- war photos.” This image was selected because it expresses the ideology of ‘pro’ or ‘anti’ war beliefs and how they affect this outlook upon politics and those that are running for government.

15. Photo 3 Continued This image shows that the beliefs of the public on war express power on, or for, politics. A great example is the 2008 election and whether or not to bring home troops from the middle east. Protest have been common in these events. War can give power to a candidate, or strip him or her of it.

16. Photo 4 (Trace 1) Textual Analysis: This is a photo of a cemetery for Iraq and Afghan War veterans. It is unique as it expresses a pro-war and pro- veteran stance. This is a pro- war stance that claims that to many lives have been given for this cause to give up now. They must continue the fight.

17. Photo 4 and First Trace Continued Reader: The intended audience in the American people. I am part of this intended audience, and I believe in this photo, even while trying to avoid personal belief and bias. Myself and the author do share commonalities in the belief that we should not give up on what we started when so many men have died for this cause. I am open completely to this. In regards to politics I believe that the people of the middle east need to freed with democracy, and not have corrupt terrorists.

18. Photo 4 and First Trace Continued Author: This photo was from the veterans for a better American website and found on Google. The author felt that he or she could motion, using politics, for the belief that many people have died for this cause and the USA should finish what has been started. This must be done in order to give the men who have past a reason for which they had fought. The author posses credentials as a political action.

19. Photo 4 and First Trace Continued Constraints: The personal bias and political beliefs strongly influence the author, or photographer. The fact that this photo posses no text might have a reader believe that this is an anti-war stance because it could show the cost of war by way of casualties. I believe that one restraint to this being viewed as opposite as its intentions is this fact that it is without text because some might interpret this as to many casualties from war.

20. Photo 4 and First Trace Continued Exigence: The argument was caused by the past decade. The USA involvement in war has had a large impact upon politics. The photographer or author of this argument hoped to persuade a group of people that the American community has a duty to spread democracy around the world.

21. Photo 5 A title for this photo is “Occupy Bankers.” The topic for this photo is occupy Wall Street. The sub-genre is a photograph. The mode of this photograph is persuasive.

22. Photo 5 Continued This was found online after a search for occupy wall street. This image was selected because this has had a strong impact on politics between the big business and the common folk. This was a nation wide protest that spread very quickly and had a large following.

23. Photo 5 Continued This shows that power, by way of protest, can have a significant influence upon politics and other fiscal ordeals. This is stated so because it shows that the constitution, which says that the public has the right to assemble, can have a strong and nationwide impact upon politics and something as simple as protest can spread the power of beliefs.

24. Photo 6 and Second Trace Textual Analysis: This document is a photo that shows the uniqueness of American industry in a Free-Market society. This is special because it expresses the corporation driven America.

25. Photo 6 and Second Trace Continued Reader Analysis: The intended audience is meant to be the anti-corporation left of the USA. I am not, personally, a part of this discourse of people. I try not to use my personal bias when analyzing these, but I do not have commonalities with the author or photographer of this photo. As I try to avoid letting personal belief and biases, I cannot say that I am open to the change of this photo.

26. Photo 6 and Second Trace Continued Author Analysis: The author of this photograph, or photographer, is from an Occupy Wall Street website. The author felt it was necessary to express the big businesses of America had to much political influence. The author holds no major credentials except a minor credential as being a protestor.

27. Photo 6 and Second Trace Continued Constraints Analysis: The author does posses a limitation of personal and political bias. The idea that corporations run America, influence this reader. Indicators of personal bias is simply shown by expressing the belief that America has been controlled by corporations.

28. Photo 6 and Second Trace Continued Exigence Analysis: The argument was cause by the past recession and current state of economy. This also could have been influenced by the occupy wall street movement. The author believes that the political power exercised by big corporations have gone to far.

29. Photo 7 A simple title for this photo is “Pro-Science = Pro-Life.” The topic is Pro-Life stance. The image is a computer generated image. The mode is persuasive.

30. Photo 7 Continued This photo was found on Google images by way of image search. This image was selected because Abortion has been a large part of political power and influence. This image expresses power by way of claiming that “pro-choice” is “pro-death” by using a bent sense of truth.

31. Photo 7 Continued I stated this because you see many a time by pro-life activists that people have been using images such as this one to gain the political edge. I state this because it has been a hotly contested topic ever since the landmark case of Roe v. Wade.

32. Photo 8 A title for this image is “Personal Choice from a Person.” This is also an abortion rights photo. The mode of this photo is persuasive. This was found on Google.

33. Photo 8 Continued This was found on Google images. This image was selected because it expresses the opposing view to image 7 and is a part of political power and influence. This image is another version of power expressed by way of personal protests by way of imagery. This is stated so because of the common occurrence of this case in modern American politics.

34. Photo 9 and Final Trace Textual Analysis: This document is a photo that confirms the authors belief in the Second Amendment. A name for this is “Fight Firearm with Firearm.” This is unique in that it comes from a typically left, and democratic area.

35. Photo 9 and Second Trace Continued Reader Analysis: The intended audience is the American gun owner. Personally, I am not a part of this discourse. However, the author and I have a common belief system in the right to have a concealed carry permit. I am open, as a reader, to the ideals expressed by this photo.

36. Photo 9 and Final Trace Continued Author Analysis: A pro-gun representative authored this photo. The past few months of increased gun control beliefs stemming from the Newtown, Connecticut massacre may have prompted the creation of this. There is know credentials that can be significantly expressed.

37. Photo 9 and Final Trace Continued Constraints Analysis: Limitations that influence the author are personal bias and the goal of political power gain. The reader is aware of the bias, and thus might deny the author of credit. It’s an obvious indicator of personal political power influence.

38. Photo 9 and Final Trace Continued Exigence Analysis: The argument has been cause by many historical events. Events such as Columbine and Newtown have cause a reflection by the American community. Pro-gun activists believe that owning a gun will prevent a felon from attacking them with one, for fear of his own safety.

39. Photo 10 A title for this image is “Remove the Fire.” The sub-genre is a photograph. The mode is informative. This is because it makes no argument, but expresses the beliefs of a store owner.

40. Photo 10 Continued This was found on Google Images. This image was selected because it expresses the opposing view of the previous photo. This states that no matter the power, or how strong, there is always an opposing force. This is strongly advocated in politics.

41. Photo 10 Continued This image shows that even though there is an American that believes in one piece of ideology, there is another part of American that believes in the other side of the aisle. This shows the constant struggle for political power in the USA.

42. Bibliography American's for the Second Amendment. 2010. Photograph. National Rifle Association, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America. Fed-Up Anti-War Protesters. 2007. Photograph. The New York Times Magazine, New York City, New York. Gun Protection. 2012. Photograph. People for a Safer America, Washington DC, United States of America. Occupy Wall Street Protesters. 2012. Photograph. New York Post, New York City, New York. Origins of America's Problems. 2009. Photograph. Google Images, Chicago, Illinois. Pro-Life Advocacy. 2009. Photograph. Americans for Pro-Life Agendas, New York City, New York. The United Corporations of America. 2012. Photograph. Google Images-Corporation American, n.p. US Debt. 2013. Photograph. Fox News, Creation. A Veteran at the Iraq War Cemetery. 2010. Photograph. Washington Post, Washington DC, United States of America. Woman's Rights of Choice. 2006. Photograph. Women's Rights of American, Washington DC, United States of America.