Credibility Development in Pramila Jayapal's Speech on Family Separation Crisis
Overview
This paper analyzes how U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal establishes intrinsic credibility in her House speech addressing the family separation crisis at the southern border. The analysis categorizes three mechanisms through which Jayapal develops credibility: demonstrating integrity through public service, establishing empathy through personal witness accounts, and displaying honesty about systemic injustices within the immigration system.
What this essay covers
- Introduction defining credibility and outlining Jayapal's rhetorical approach
- Analysis of integrity and empathy demonstrated through prison visit narratives and parental interviews
- Examination of honesty as credibility-building through the speaker's emotional response to discovered atrocities
Preview
Credibility
Student Full Name
Institutional Affiliation
Course Full Name
Professor's Full Name
Due Date
Credibility
Credibility refers to the subjective and objective aspects of specific messages that determine their believability. It is easier to believe individuals we perceive to be ethical and adhere to appropriate moral standards. The paper categorizes three diverse ways in which Pramila Jayapal develops intrinsic credibility in her speech about the family separation crisis delivered to the House of Representatives and classifies the sub-type of credibility Jayapal draws upon, demonstrating how she generates credibility of that sub-type.
Jayapal starts the speech by describing her visit to a federal prison in the south of her district (she is the first Member of Congress to do so). At the prison, she witnessed the separation of hundreds of parents from their children. The statement shows the speaker's good character, especially her commitment as a public servant. She states that, even though she visited the prison a year ago, the stories she heard are haunting her. Jayapal narrates about parents who remained unaware of their children's whereabouts for three to four weeks. She highlights a woman who was given slips with different children's names than her own (Jayapal, 2019). Even though the narrator has not expressed her personal views regarding the visit, her narration style, especially the haunting experience, creates intrinsic credibility. We can see integrity through her devotion to public service and empathy through her compassion for the parents.