Rhetorical Analysis Of 10 Years After 9/11

After the attack on the World Trade Centers in 2001, conspiracies began to fly, fingers were being pointed, and accusations were being made. Nine years after the attack, Omar Ashmawy wrote an essay “Ten Years After 9/11. We’re Still in the Dark” to the Washington Post. In his essay, he argues that US citizens are not well enlightened on the cultures of the Islamic and Arabic people and that ignorance gets in the way of obtaining a healthy relationship with Arab and Muslim countries. With his wise use of pathos, logos, and ethos, Ashmawy creates a well written essay that captures the heart of his readers and gives an inspiring glimpse into the effects of 9/11.
In his essay, Ashmawy uses ethos to verify his credibility as a writer. The first

With an event like that of the World Trade Center, the entire essay could be seen as one large play on emotion. Many people were directly affected by the attacks and would respond to the essay with great sympathy. For example, Ashmawy says “. . . the death of any individual terrorist will secure us against another attack by Islamic extremists.” This statement strikes fear into the reader with the possibility that another attack, like 9/11, could happen again, even if the leaders and followers of terrorists groups were to die. Another example of his use of pathos, Ashmawy says
As we honor the past, we must also commit to the future. This commitment must include an expectation that all Americans responsible for protecting us possess the education and knowledge to do so and be committed to accuracy and learning. . . Ten years after Sept. 11, this is a basic but necessary step. Ignorance is our vulnerability, and we must begin somewhere. Those individuals we remember Sunday deserve better. We all

However, he does mention correct facts in the beginning of the essay, which show he is at least somewhat educated on the topic. For example, he says “. . . the World Trade Center was bombed in 1993.” Also, his use of ethos, which give him credibility, serves as logos. His logos acknowledge his experiences and play on factual information, but they also give him credit. For example, “[he] joined the U.S. military after law school to help [his] defend itself against the threat of Islamic extremism” could be seen as a way of giving him credibility, but it gives the reader the knowledge that his has experience, which would provide the reader with logical reasoning. Though his use of ethos lacks more than the others, his use of logic plays a key role in his plan to create an argumentative