Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Period 2
Amy Goodman is a passionate woman unafraid of stirring the pot, so to say. Whether it
be from her socially relevant and polarizing content choice, or her clear messages that advocate
for reactionary measures, Goodman understands that being a public figure grants a lot of
attention. It is her mission to use her position to make others see her ideals and act up in return.
Through her unapologetic tone and irrefutable statistics, she creates simple but logical arguments
that attack the status quo and traditional values. According to Goodman, the social order of the
It is impossible to ignore Goodman’s strong viewpoints, even from first glance onto her
column. With a title of “Democracy Now!” a bold, imperative, statement that commands
political upheaval, it’s not hard to imagine that the average listener of Goodman falls left on the
political spectrum. Analyzing the title of the column further, as seen in the call in the form of an
exclamation mark, Goodman’s audience probably identifies as the subset of liberals strongly
interested in action. These individuals are not afraid to take a stand or protest for their rights.
They expect columns that reflect their inner strength and desire for a better world. Goodman, in
turn, creates content that follows the ideology and passions of younger liberals, idealistic with
notions of a future that promises equal right. More specifically, she identifies and takes hold of
fears that exist at the core of one’s being, or those created as a result of today’s political climate,
such as worries about police brutality or political squabbles. This connects her to her readers,
those with similar, pre existing opinions about social change. In her content, Goodman pushes
injustices into the spotlight of reader attentions. Whatever she chooses to focus on, be it sexual
assault or political victories, she is not afraid to loudly herald her opinions to make readers care
about issues. Understanding the privileges granted to her as a renowned radio host allows
Goodman to not only just reveal issues, but also make readers feel obligated to do something
Goodman expects her readers to already be informed about broad injustices, and feels as
if it is her duty to fill in the blanks with specifics. For instance, in “Alabama’s Lessons for the
Democratic Party,” Goodman retells the history of Rosa Parks, the “troublemaker” who
“launched” the “civil rights era” and connects the past with the current Senate race. Goodman
uses a message that interlocks generations, and is able to argue a new point, that the Democratic
party needs reorganization, based on relevant and newsworthy events of which most would
already be aware. This interconnection is a theme seen in other works of hers. Goodman recently
wrote a piece on the death of Erica Garner and how her fight against police brutality was spurred
from the death of her father. Erica was the daughter of the man “whose chokehold death” was
broadcasted nationally, becoming “a flashpoint in the fight against police brutality.” The multiple
generations of political activism is a central theme of this text as well, and explains how past
events, like Erica’s father, Eric Garner’s, murder, can bring about a better future. It is almost
impossible that Goodman’s politically-aware audience would be unaware of the Garner family.
Like with in her Alabama article, however, Goodman uses popular events as a starting point for
her real message from which action must begin. Only half on this column is dedicated as a
memoriam for Erica. The other, more passionate part describes the protests that Erica led
following Eric’s death. Goodman believes Erica should be revered as an idol who “fought” until
“her last breath,” and who citizens should emulate in their assumed future political action (“Erica
Garner: Rest in Peace...and Justice). Here again is Goodman’s expectation for readers to do
something with their idealistic notions. With time, Goodman hopes to create an army of sorts of
those who wish to make political change, with her at the epicenter.
Goodman is particularly skilled at using specific quotations and concrete logic to create
an unapologetic tone. Her passion and personal desire for social equality is seen in her incredible
support for traditionally liberal values of equality and justice. Throughout all of her columns,
Goodman takes key questions or issues related to social justice and combines raw passion with
restrained reason, two contrasting schools of thought that, when combined, create an
impenetrable argument that withstands even the most brutal of attacks. Such a trend is seen in
recent articles detailing the trend of kneeling during the national anthem (“Taking a Knee,
Standing for Justice”), sexual misconduct (“I am Woman, Hear Me Roar”), and others. In the
latter, Goodman uses direct anecdotes in the form of tweets from women such as Tarana Burke
who are paving the way in the “Me Too” movement. Informal descriptions of Burke are followed
by irrefutable statistics of abuse and documented evidence of men in power taking advantage of
women. By including both the personal and objective elements of the Me Too movement,
Goodman contrasts deeply upsetting topics of sexual harassment and abuse with civil, collected
evidence that cannot be denied. This switch from emotional to factual is one that Goodman
employs often, in hopes of creating a complete argument that is impervious to any backlash. By
presenting an argument that is both logically sound and morally correct, Goodman is able to
widen her audience and persuade a large variety of individuals into believing her overall
message.
Goodman’s column is as far from apologetic as humanly possible. She is direct in her
opinions and presents alarming information in a level headed manner. Clearly, Goodman is a
remarkably intelligent woman. Evident in her explanations of social change and her repeated
content on sexism in society, she understands that as a successful woman in the media, there will
always be those who try to “put her in her place” and shut down her ideas solely because of her
gender. It is imperative that Goodman is as assertive as possible in order to transcend those who
critique her work. By appearing as a strong woman with comprehensible values, she is also able
to project her ideals and hopes for a social reorder as well as connect herself to her audience,
fellow social justice “warriors” banded together in hopes of change. As the title of her radio
show quotes, true equality in America cannot wait. It is Goodman’s mission to ensure that