Firing Line By Mrs. Schlafy: Article Analysis

Since the 15th amendment, giving African American right to vote, was passed during the 1970s, countless women have claimed to have the right to vote. However, rather than passing the right to vote for women, the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) was introduced, which means that men and women have equal rights under the law. In the TV show “Firing Line”, Mrs. Schlafy believes that ERA would bring many undesired changes to American women. Therefore, she strongly opposed the ERA. Mrs. Schlafly was more successful at presenting her argument than her opponent because she uses several rhetorical devices such as audience, tone, and evidence to support her argument.
Mrs. Schlafly appeals mainly to the women’s audience based on her background introduction,

Because she has such an educated background, she is a high scholar and able to give credibility and trust to the audience. Many women are always ambitious to become a career leader and a housewife so her background will most likely to have an attraction to many women. Women will more willing to accept her argument because she have such a high credibility. However, if Mrs. Schlafy mentions her personal story during the speech, such as the challenges of raising six children and working at the same time and how the ERA will negatively impact her would create a strong and impactful statement because women can be further relatable. Also, the way Mrs. Schlafy dresses up draws women’s attention. Her pink salmon-colored sweater, navy skirt, and tidy hairstyle convey the impression of femininity and confidence. She made this statement in response to Dr. Scott’s argument about how some

She believes that the ERA would take away from some of the women’s important rights and benefits by providing an example of the military draft. She states that, “I have listened to the lawyers and state legislature hearing, and they all said, ‘Yes, they do want women drafted and they do want them in combat.’” Women were originally exempt from the draft, but ratifying the ERA would take away their exemption and would subjectively draft them with men. Taking away their exemption would only leave them dissatisfied and drawback. Moreover, when they debate over women’s role in the marriage, she uses the evidence of the Maryland law which introduced the equal rights amendment: “This takes out the word ‘husband’ and puts in the word ‘spouse’(…) What the law will do is to make wife criminally reliable for the support of her husband, just as husband criminally reliable for the support of his wife.” By providing the case of how the equal rights amendment operate in another state, it definitely proves that the Equal Rights Amendment would take away the right that the women currently have, husband’s obligation to support his wife and household. Women have to earn and spend all of their money to support their children rather than using the husband’s support. Women already have the important duties in the household, such as cleaning the room, cooking the dinner, and spending time with children so having the ERA may