Background: As you probably are aware, the policing situation in America has reached a boiling point as a result of the murder of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man, by a police officer. His death and the phrase “I can’t breathe” has become a rallying cry for Black Lives Matter and other protests throughout the United States and around the world. In only a matter of months, police departments across the United States are being defunded, dismantled, and abolished (in some cases).

For this essay, we will be reading and analyzing a number of various perspectives on what should be done about the future of policing in America. In this sense, it’s important that we, as critical thinkers, evaluate these types of arguments to make sure they are logical and free from logical fallacies.

Writing Task: You will write a four-five page, rhetorical analysis of one, argumentative piece of writing. The four options are listed below.

Essay’s Purpose: To determine whether the writer’s argument is effective based on specific rhetorical elements such as logos, ethos, and other components that were covered in “Backpacks vs. Briefcases…” and other resources in this Unit.

Important to Remember: Your goal is to analyze the writer’s argument and not to argue a position or agree/disagree with the writer’s points.