Contradicting The Stereotypes Of Youths In South- Central, L.A.

2 Pages 523 Words

Contradicting the Stereotypes of Youths In South-Central, Los Angeles
The essay, “Jobs Illuminate What Riots Hid: Young Ideals”, by Sara Rimer, begins with a good-will gesture from Disney officials, offering young adults in South- Central the opportunity to work at the “happiest place on earth.” The Disney officials are surprised to find educated, ambitious, young black adults willing to make sacrifices to work for the Disney Corporation. The author establishes there is a negative stereotype connected to the young people who live in South-Central Los Angeles. He uses appeals to ethos and pathos to convince his readers- the young people living in South-Central are not all looters, drug dealers, and gang members.
Rimer uses an appeal to ethos to build her credibility in the beginning of the essay to persuade the reader(s) that the youths in South-Central are not all depraved. Greg Albrecht, a spokesperson for the Disney Corporation, commented on how wonderful and outstanding the kids were, and their eagerness to work for Disneyland (Rimer, A1, A12). She has to make us believe that if the Disney Corporation is willing to hire these young adults, maybe the kids from South-Central really aren’t that bad. Using statistics helps build her argument also. The principal of Washington Preparatory, Marguerite LaMotte, one of South-Central public high schools, is quoted saying there are “118 graduating seniors planning on attending four-year colleges and 131graduating seniors going to two-year colleges (Rimer, A1, A12).” Rimer further states that “the world knows about the gang members; estimates put the number at 100,000 across Los Angeles County, and last year there were 771 gang-related homicides (A1, A12).” No one has tried to count the success stories of the young people trying to make a better life for themselves (Rimer, A1, A12). Giving statistics and using quotes by a spokesperson from an influential corporation like...