What I've Learned this Semester by Alden Burley

wow... where to begin. Naturally I have learned a lot this semester whether it was in rhetoric class or not, but that would take a really really long time to write and I know the C.A. doesn't like it when I write long blogs.
I have taken a lot from our class, the most basic thing being that there are a lot of crazy messed up things out there in the world and if we just take time to think about ways to prevent them... they can actually be prevented. Rhetoric is nothing and everything in itself. Just because you can speak effectively does not necessary mean that it can change anything because, let's be honest, it's just talking (and usually it's just talking to a large group of rich, balding, white men). The ultimate test of rhetoric has to be when the speaker gets off his/her soap box and out of the building. Rhetoricians cannot be successful unless the rest of their lives echo the sentiments spoken about through the medium of a microphone. We as Americans are too easily swayed by the speeches of those we deem "smart" or at least "smarter than I am." These people are only in their positions because that's where they are. We are the ultimate check and balance. We are the ones who say, "okay, sounds great. What do we do now?" The question I've heard most this semester is "What can I do about this?" I am both encouraged and discouraged by this repeated question. Encouraged because it is being asked and discouraged 1) because we are still just talking and 2) I don't know. Rhetoric is important because it allows us to see the words behind the faces of the people speaking. We can watch the facial and body expressions and argue the sincerity for ourselves, but we must go beyond this talk. We must challenge those in power to go beyond what they promise. We have a saying on the rowing team, "if you aren't in the first boat, you are pushing those in the first boat." Every member plays a part and makes the top players better by becoming better themselves, then as a group we are constantly moving forward. This is the key to the rhetoric in our country and this is what I have learned this semester. I'll get off my soap box now and go plant flags on Bowman field...