amanon07-blog

[amanon07-blog]

Action

Source: https://twitter.com/coultharddd/status/1157929187111514113

Gun violence is a terrible epidemic in the U.S and we as a country have yet to find a solution for it. Every week it seems like you hear about a new shooting that happened somewhere in the U.S and it feels like it's never going to end. However, that is not entirely true as time and time again people are able to come together and push for change in our society. One of the best ways to push for change is to join together and protest whether it be online or in person. Thanks to advancements in technology and innovations like the internet the entire world has never been more connected in history. Websites like twitter, tumblr, instagram and reddit are perfect places to be able to voice opinions for many to see and also push for change. It is important you choose the right medium to be able to communicate your story and opinions(Lunsford, 21). On websites like twitter you can use hashtags in tweets so other people can see your tweet when searching that hashtag. One important aspect of writing style is taking a stance, or an author's attitude towards a certain subject(Lunsford, 646). Hashtags are extremely useful for political protest as well as social movements in general since it allows people to read about and pick a stance on the topic.

One of the most well known hashtags for gun violence is #GunControlNow and has been extremely popular over the past couple of years. It is hard to pinpoint when exactly this hashtag first started since you can not sort twitter to show the first tweet using it, but it gained tons of use in 2017 after the tragic Las Vegas shooting. The hashtag and movement became very popular because people are utilizing certain rhetoric very well when trying to push for change, even if they do not realize it. In Andrea Collier’s article, “Why Telling Our Own Story Is So Powerful for Black Americans” Congressman John Lewis says, “The movement without storytelling, is like a bird without wings” (Collier, 1). The main topic that everyone is discussing about when using the hashtag is one of the most important reasons it is so successful. Furthermore, the most important reason that this hashtag and movement is so popular is the audience they are trying to persuade.

Gun violence and mass shootings are an extremely hot button topic in the U.S and people are very passionate about their opinions. The topic of gun control is extremely controversial and many people tend to have an opinion on it because of this. When looking at tweets using this hashtag I realized there are just as many angry people who are looking for reform in gun laws as there are people who want to keep their guns. This dynamic works well in favor of the hashtag since it is promoting discussion between people about the topic. Discussion is very important when trying to push for change because you want to raise awareness of the problem at hand as well as look for solutions. Also since many people are discussing and debating the movement using the hashtag it just increases the popularity of the hashtag, making it more likely someone might find it.

The audience that this hashtag has targeted is one of the main reasons its is so successful and as popular as it is today. Not only does the hashtag have a target audience that they are trying to persuade but it also captures the attention of the opposing views as they would naturally want to argue against it. The controversy of the topic allows it grab the attention of the opposing without having to worry about losing their target audience which is not limited to but mainly consist of young adults who are about to be able to vote and can already vote. This is a smart target audience because at the end of the day these are the people being affected by it the most. Unfortunately, a lot of the mass shootings that happen occur in public places like schools and concerts where you will mainly find young adults. This hashtag appeals to our emotions strongly since we are the ones who have to live in worry everyday that it may be our last just because we are at school. Since this hashtag hits extremely close to home for the majority of the target audience people tend to form strong opinions and will want to share them. A strong opinion plus the perfect space to be able to share something short and to the point will entice a lot of people and is why this hashtag/movement was destined to become popular.

This hashtag is important because not only is it pushing for change in our society but it can provide a feeling of togetherness. It has a purpose to persuade and motivate you to join along because knowing that you are not the only one with these strong feelings towards such a sensitive topic makes it easier to voice your own (Lunsford 22). It promotes discussion about our flawed politics so we can vote for people who actually care for our well being. So we can band together and vote for politicians who are not being controlled by the NRA. That way we do not have to live in fear when we go in public places like school which should be a safe space for learning. Sharing personal stories are crucial because we like to hear about people climbing from the bottom to the top (King 26). Your voice should not be silenced and ignored but instead listened to and understood. We do not need thoughts and prayers but we need action!

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Works Cited

Collier, Andrea. “Why Telling Our Own Story Is So Powerful for Black Americans.” Greater Good, 27 Feb. 2019, greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/why_telling_our_own_story_is_so_powerful_for_black_americans

King, Thomas. The Truth About Stories: a Native Narrative. House of Anansi Press, 2011.

Lunsford, Andrea, and Micheal Brody. Everybody's an Author with Readings. Vol. 2.