Anthony Murphy, Teddy Delavigne, Charles Kenney, Aaron Force
Anthony Murphy-Charles Kenney-Teddy Delavigne-Aaron ForceIrony is an admirable thing Ms. Maestri, as it has the ability to make an inerudite pleb appear to be prudent, but also to make the most adept intellectual look doltish. You see, Stephen H. Webb, a theologian and professor of religious philosophy, is also a master of rhetoric. In his piece How Soccer Is Ruining America: A Jeremiad, Webb utilizes what could quite possibly be one of the most effective rhetorical devices. He attacks his opponent’s points of argumentation head on, dismantling any bit of validity that they once possibly had, in the most ironic way he possibly could. An advanced technique indeed, Mr. Webb’s use of rhetoric causes his audience to temporarily believe that he feels as though the sport of soccer has the capacity to cause harm to this noble nation. Although it is possible that in doing so he will lose many of the “hotheads” reading his piece who cannot stand such ironically violent verbal attacks on a sport that they enjoy, and it is also quite possible that some of those “hotheads” will go on to publish irrational blogs attacking his work, the effect this strategy has is priceless. It is an efficacious way to leave your opposition with little to build an argument off of.
Perhaps, Ms. Maestri, you are one of the above mentioned “hotheads”, who did not have the emotional composure to read Webb’s writing in its entirety. Or, perhaps you did and simply do not have the mental cognizance required to comprehend such an advanced level of composition. Either way, it seems as though you’ve missed the preeminent point of How Soccer Is Ruining America, and that is this: (Read it slowly if you need to in order to comprehend it) Stephen H. Webb does NOT believe that soccer is truly ruining America. This point is made explicitly clear in the final page of Webb’s satire, when he admits that despite the argument he has previously been making, he has raised all three of his children to play travel soccer, and continues to disclose the sense of content felt by his family after a weekend filled with soccer. Now whether you did not have the respect to read Mr. Webb’s work in its entirety before attempting to publicly scrutinize him, or you just simply could not understand it, is beyond me. Engaging in a deeper analysis of your vile, repugnant blog post, the absence of valid, argumentative points was strikingly palpable. Rather than inordinately developed points, there is not much more to find than hostile, incoherent rambling. In lieu of providing a valid analysis of Mr. Webb’s work, you instead chose to belligerently attack him rather than his thoughts and ideas, a practice commonly known as ad hominem. This is most unequivocally a testament to your character. For example, you immaturely refer to a well-educated and respected professor in vulgar, uncivil patois, something only someone of the most naive nature would have the ignorance to do. Beyond your tragic misconception, the use of profane language expressed by your sharp tongue surely gives no indication of a keen mind. In brief synthesis, Ms. Maestri, it is apparent that you simply missed the main point of Stephen H. Webb’s How Soccer Is Ruining America: A Jeremiad. Whether out of pure ignorance or the fact that Mr. Webb’s far advanced level of irony and rhetorical mastery was too much to be comprehended will be left undetermined. However one thing is certain: the organization and development of your argument, or lack thereof, is a direct threat to the most important thing you have as a rhetor: your ethos. Thank You |