David Deming

Professor John Logie

November 28th, 2016
Writ 3577w
Rhetorical Analysis: Southern Poverty Law Center

Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) is a website that is actively pursuing change in a
multidimensional way. All of the ways that the SPLC website is initiating change leads back to
one main goal, equality for all. This multidimensional approach will help the website reach a
wider audience and bring a greater impact in more than one area. In this attempt they are using
Aristotles ethos, logos, and pathos rhetoric successfully. As I navigated through the SPLC
website I found the dominant appeals used were ethos and pathos. While ethos and pathos are the
dominant appeals logos is also actively present. With my Rhetorical analysis of the SPLCs
website, I found that they were successful with their Rhetorical appeal. As you enter their
website you are able to find out what they are trying to achieve. They offer you a link to click on,
called what we do, bringing you to a page with a message at the top stating, The SPLC is
dedicated to fighting hate and bigotry and to seeking justice for the most vulnerable members of
our society. Using litigation, education, and other forms of advocacy, the SPLC works toward the
day when the ideals of equal justice and equal opportunity will be a reality (SPLC). A clear
mission statement grabs the readers attention right away through the use of pathos and ethos.
While stating this mission, they break it down into four categories. These four categories are
fighting hate, teaching tolerance, seeking justice, and a civil rights memorial. Further, they offer
the reader information on six different issues they are fighting against. These different options
will help entice people to support the big issue of equality, and encourage involvement in areas
they would be most passionate about. My rhetorical analysis will be broken down into four
different sections, touching on all aspects of the SPLC website. The four different parts of the
website I will be analyzing will be the home page, what we do page, our issues page, and the
hate map page. I will be incorporating screenshots in my analysis, explaining in detail which

Aristotle rhetorical appeal is dominant within each page. I will then go into more depth by
discussing how this appeal was applied and what areas were the most effective on the page.
Lastly, I will also be quoting work from the internet on Aristotles Rhetoric and information from
the SPLC website, helping me further expand and support my argument.
The SPLC homepage quickly reveals that their mission is to fight hate and bigotry. The
dominant appeal used throughout the homepage is ethos, which becomes more evident as you
scroll down the page. In Mshvenieradze (2013) article on Logos Ethos and Pathos in Political
Discourse he elaborates that, Ethos is a style of a speaker by help of which he or she appeals to
and tries to attract the attention of audience to earn their faith. Ethos refers to the trustworthiness
or credibility of the writer or speaker. If the speaker is persuasive the audience follows him or
her (p. 1940). The use of ethos is effectively used on the homepage by SPLCs presentation of
their mission of educating the audience on the struggles minority groups are facing. This is
demonstrated as SPLC elucidates that, We employ a three-pronged strategy to battle racial and
social injustice: fighting hate, teaching tolerance, and seeking justice (SPLC). Beneath each of
these strategies, a link is provided for the audience to learn more. These learn more links
take you to a page that provides more in depth information on either fighting hate, teaching
tolerance, or seeking justice. This instills confidence in SPLC website's audience, helping
them view SPLC as a credible and competent source, creating a sense of respect. The homepage
is successful in building a base for the audience through the use of ethos, keeping them engaged
in learning more regarding the issues minorities face and the SPLC websites process of
education and the initiation of change. As ethos is seen to be the dominant appeal used on the
SPLC homepage, pathos is also visible. Pathos is utilized within text with statements such as,
We know we don't achieve equality and justice through the courts and investigative reporting

alone. The future of our great country lies in the hands of today's young people (SPLC).
Statements such as these move the audience emotionally providing them with a vision and
making it clear that each of us can make a difference. In order to make a difference we all need
to act, it depends on our generation and future generations to follow. The use of Pathos is
capitalized well here, emotionally fueling the reader to get involved. It is important to
incorporate Aristotles Rhetoric logos, ethos, and pathos throughout the homepage in order to
make a connection with the audience drawing them deeper into the website. Without presenting
this information well, the audience may question the content of the site. Although, since SPLC
effectively does this with ethos, they gain credibility and through pathos they create an emotional
connection with their audience, engaging the person wholly on all levels.

Figure 1: SPLC website homepage

https://www.splcenter.org/

The What We Do page offers a clear mission statement to the audience for which the
SPLC team stands. Below the mission statement are four ways in which SPLC strives to achieve
this. This can be seen in figure two and figure three below. While the text is playing at more of

an ethos appeal, stating how SPLC is taking action. For example, it says Were dedicated to
reducing prejudice, improving intergroup relations and supporting equitable school experiences
for our nation's children (SPLC). The Ethos appeal is further supported through the materials
found by clicking on the learn more link which explains the activities of SPLC. SPLC isnt
merely expressing empty action statements but goes further by explaining and offering ways in
which the viewer can get involved. Mshvenieradze (2013) expresses, We need to say that we
tend to believe people whom we respect, someone who is likable and worthy of respect. Ethos is
composed of correct attitudes, respect, favor and which is very important, ethics. Thanks to this
component of argumentation discourse becomes much more persuasive (p. 1940). Without
successfully applying ethos within the text you risk losing your audience and their departure
from the website. SPLCs What We Do page shows they are credible and passionate about
making a difference along with a course of action in place to do so. The use of Pathos is
illustrated in the pictures next to the text on the left display along with the four ways SPLC is
attempting to achieve their mission. In figure 2 below, the photo of the little boy wearing a Nazi
shirt with his parents is very impactful due to his innocence and inability to understand what he
is representing. This may be the case for many people who are involved in similar hate
movements, where you are born into it not ever really knowing right from wrong. Further, the
use of faces in two of the pictures are pathos filled, due to the lack of emotion expressed by each
face. As Pathos encompasses the emotional influence on the audience. The goal of each speech
is to persuade the audience, therefore it is necessary to put the audience in the appropriate
emotional states (European Rhetoric). These pictures appeal to the emotions of the audience,
which encourages action and desire to learn more by diving deeper into the SPLC website.
Pathos is also expressed in statements the SPLC website makes such as, Were seeking justice

for the most vulnerable people in society (SPLC). Making the appeal for the extremely
vulnerable people in our society shows the audience that many of us are more fortunate than
others, further tugging on the heartstrings.

Figure 2: What we do page

https://www.splcenter.org/what-we-do

Figure 3: What we do page

https://www.splcenter.org/what-we-do

Additionally, pathos is used on the Our Issues page using the same tactics used on the
What We Do page providing the user with emotional pictures, along with emotive words that
will emotionally engage the user. While ethos is also being displayed in the same forms within

the text I went over regarding the SPLC What We Do page. The Our Issue page emphasizes
this through the support and detail of six issues, Hate and Extremism, Childrens Rights,
Immigrant Justice, LGBT Rights, Economic Justice, and Criminal Justice Reform. Each
section displays an emotionally charged picture and short sentence on how SPLC is taking action
regarding the issue. Below in Figure 4 you can further see how ethos and pathos are
demonstrated through the pictures and text. Lastly, Figure 5 is a screenshot of one of the pages
you will be taken to on the SPLC website by clicking on one of the issue links. These links build
on the ethos appeals, creating website credibility by offering the audience in depth information
on the issue. It is also where the logos appeal can be found, as statistics are provided in support
of the issue. For example, on the Criminal Justice Reform page it is stated that, Today,
roughly 2.2 million people are behind bars in the United States, an increase of 1.9 million since
1972. We have the worlds largest prison population with one-quarter of its prisoners but just 5
percent of the total population (SPLC). Logos is, For the argumentation the arguments,
argument schemes, the different forms of proof and the reasoning are of special interest. There
are two different forms of proofs: the natural and the artificial/technical proof. Natural proofs are
those that are based on given data like documents, testimonies, etc. The artificial/technical proof
are those that are created with combination of information (hints, examples, etc.) and the art of
logic (European Rhetoric). The use of Logos in this way helps support the use of Pathos and
Ethos. If logos is applied well it will only help develop an argument and may provide the
necessary information to engage the user, if pathos and ethos is not enough to get their attention.

Figure 4: Our Issues page

https://www.splcenter.org/issues

Figure 5: Criminal Justice Reform link page

https://www.splcenter.org/issues/mass-incarceration

The logos appeal is highly relevant on SPLCs Hate Map page. SPLCs Hate Map is
displayed in figure 6. This page provides a map of the United States pinpointing the location of
all the extremist hate groups in our Country. This visual provides the reader with evidence,
making the audience aware of how real, numerous and widespread these groups are throughout
the United States. SPLCs Hate Map helps to implement into the audience's mind that these

hate groups are active and could even be relatively close to where you live. Seeing and
manipulating this map may provide the catalyst in encouraging the viewers involvement with
and support of SPLC. As stated by Mshvenieradze (2013), Logos is a very important for
argumentative judgment as one of the dimensions of persuasion. Logos means persuading by the
use of reasoning which includes critical cognition, analytical skills, good memory, and
purposeful behavior, which is the most important argumentation. For Aristotle Logos is rational,
logical and argumentative discourse (p. 1939). Regarding this, SPLC offers their audience
rationality on all of the information they have presented on their other pages. On the Hate Map
page you can also learn about each hate group by clicking on their logo. Again, the ethos appeal
is developed even more here as it is displayed to the audience that SPLC will continue to
consistently provide information on each topic discussed on their site, to further educate their
audience. While the pathos appeal might also apply to some, as they realize and grieve the depth
and spread of hate as represented by the multitude of pinpoints on the map of the United States.

Figure 6: Hate Map

https://www.splcenter.org/hate-map

From this analysis, I hope I have convinced you of the success of the SPLC website in
applying, ethos, logos, and pathos rhetoric pertaining to their mission and reaching their intended
audience. It should now be apparent that ethos and pathos were the dominate appeals. I dont feel
it is necessary to evaluate which of these was the most dominant appeal. As the SPLC website
often applied them hand in hand, with the pictures being connected to the text. As SPLC was
successful with using the ethos and pathos rhetoric, the use of logos was able to tie it all together.
If the viewer were to navigate through the SPLC website left to right, clicking on the links to
educate oneself, the hate map towards the end would then be able to provide the person with a
visual, showing how many hate groups have been identified throughout the United States and
how we are all impacted. The SPLC website then offers a Ways to give and a Donate link on
the far right; first offering their audience the information needed to educate oneself on their
mission, issues, and hate groups, in the hope to persuade you to take action by getting involved
and donating. To expand their reach and effectiveness, I would suggest to SPLC that they
continue to update their information and increase their educational outreach. Overall, SPLC was
successful in appealing to its intended audience. Applying all three of Aristotles rhetoric, ethos,
logos, and pathos was important in reaching and engaging their audience.

Works Cited:
Dees and Levin, M. (1971). Retrieved from https://www.splcenter.org/.
(2015, December). Retrieved from http://www.european-rhetoric.com/ethos-pathosmodes-persuasion-aristotle/ethos/.

logos-

Mshvenieradze, T. (2013). Logos Ethos and Pathos in Political Discourse. Theory and Practice
in Language Studies, 11(3), 1939-1945.