...Mary Fisher:A Whisper of AIDS Less than three months ago at platform hearings in Salt Lake City, I asked the Republican Party to lift the shroudof silence which has been draped over the issue of HIV and AIDS. I have come tonight to bring our silence to an end. I bear a message of challenge, not self-congratulation. I want your attention, not your applause. I would never have asked to be HIV positive, but I believe that in all things there is a purpose. And I stand before you and before the nation gladly. The reality of AIDS is brutally clear. Two hundred thousand Americans are dead or dying. A million more are infected. Worldwide, forty million, sixty million, or a hundred million infections will be counted in the coming few years. But despite science and research, White House meetings, and congressional hearings, despite good intentions and bold initiatives, campaign slogans, and hopeful promises, it is despite it all the epidemic which is winning tonight. In the context of an election year, I ask you, here in this great hall, or listening in the quiet of your home, to recognize that AIDS virus is not a political creature. It does not care whether you are Democrat or Republican. It does not ask whether you are black or white, male or female, gay or straight, young or old. Tonight, I represent an AIDS community whose members have been reluctantly drafted from every segment of American society. Though I am white and a mother, I am one with a black infant struggling...
Words: 1492 - Pages: 6
...battlefield of the Republican National Convention, Houston, TX, 1992. Mary Fisher, a woman avid for allies, battling against AIDS. In Mary Fisher’s “A Whisper of AIDS,” Mary, a mother, who is HIV positive, speaks out about how awareness is the key to finding a cure. Her speech will be analysed using Aristotle’s approach to rhetoric. By applying logos, pathos, and ethos, Mary’s speech can be best understood. What is her logic? What passion does she want you to feel? And what makes her credible? Those questions will be answered in this speech today. Mary Fisher’s logic is very clear– without awareness we cannot move forward in fighting the battle against AIDS. We should fight with our words and not our silence. If AIDS is viewed as a homosexual disease then we have no hope in finding a cure. Mary’s logic in her speech calls us “to recognize that AIDS virus is not a political creature. It does not care whether you are Democrat of Republican; it does not ask whether you are black or white, male or female, gay or straight, young or old.” This powerful logic helps redefine who the real AIDS’ victims/survivors are. In the beginning of her speech, she uses statistics on how millions of people are infected and how, “[t]wo hundred thousand Americans are dead or dying.” Logically, one cannot ignore there is a present problem that needs to be addressed. AIDS is not a disease trapped in the impoverished places of Africa or between the sheets of a Shanghai prostitute’s bed....
Words: 922 - Pages: 4
...In Mary Fisher’s speak A Whisper of AIDS she compares herself to with two characters whom her audience would not normally relate to, and by doing so evokes the emotion of her audience, not towards herself, but towards those who she is asking for affection for. The two comparisons Fisher makes qualifies as use of the rhetorical appeal of pathos as a result of this emotion that she evokes. In her first example Fisher evokes pity for the black infant she compares herself to. The image she depicts of a struggling infant in a large city causes her audience to feel as though it is they who have allowed this infant to struggle and poses the question, why if they can respect and cheer for her can they not do the same for the infant. In the second comparison...
Words: 390 - Pages: 2
...Rhetorical Analysis of “A Whisper of Aids” BY Maribel Garcia Texas A&M Corpus Christi Composition II English 1302-W01 Rhetorical Analysis of, “A Whisper of Aids” “A Whisper of Aids”, is a speech given by Mary Fisher. Mary Fisher is a republican white female, daughter of a multi-millionaire and mother of two sons. She was once employed at the Whitehouse for President Gerald R. Ford. She held a prominent position as the first female “advance man”. The defined position is “A man who travels ahead to arrange the details of scheduling, publicity, security, and other matters connected with a trip or public appearance, especially one to be made by a politician or dignitary”. Mary Fisher gave her “A Whisper of Aids “speech on August 19, 1992 at the Republican National Convention at the Astrodome in Houston, TX. That day she did not stand in front of her audience to speak for the Republican Party or for any advance man duties. She stood there that day as an HIV positive victim. An Aids victim that did not fit the profile of the stereotype. Behind the podium she voiced awareness through compassion. She wanted to erase stereo type and raise concern. She clearly states the reason for her rhetoric in her plea,” Set aside prejudice and politics to make room for compassion and sound policy.” Mary Fisher in her speech persuasively and successfully used appeals to achieve interest and concern to the rise of the Aids epidemic. Mary Fisher and her personal testimony of...
Words: 1048 - Pages: 5
...ENG/102- Research Writing 3-30-2014 Sarah Ghoshal The Reality of AIDS The reality of the AIDS virus comes with bias opinions, fallacies and stereotypes of all kinds. To understand and know the truth about this virus, is to acknowledge facts and become educated. The speech "A Whisper of AIDS" by Mary Fisher addressed arguments and presented the growing concern of ignoring the severity of the disease. The speech by Mary Fisher addressed bias opinions and fallacies. As stated by Mary Fisher, "Because I was not gay, I was not at risk. Because I did not inject drugs, I was not at risk." (American Rhetoric, 2001). These fallacies and biased opinions were based on what people heard or believed, not what they knew. Mary Fisher also addressed the argument of AIDS to be recognized as a virus and not a political creature (American Rhetoric, 2001). Fisher's counter argument said, "Worldwide, forty million, sixty million, or a hundred million infections will be counted in the coming few years." (American Rhetoric, 2001). Her statements showed how ignorant society had been. People believing that they could not get infected, if they were not a drug user or not gay. The effects of her speech were global. As her speech was being broadcasted over numerous networks, 27 million people listened (Shaw, 2012). As stated by Normal Mailer, who was a guy covering the convention, "When Mary Fisher spoke like an angel that night, the floor was in tears, and conceivably the nation as well" (Shaw...
Words: 419 - Pages: 2
...life has been spent trying to please Max Fisher, her mother's second husband. Her mother was an alcoholic, as was Mary, who also married twice. Both marriages ended in divorce; after the second divorce, she learned that her ex-husband had infected her with HIV. As she becomes part of the AIDS community, she loses friends to the disease, and she gets more critical of conservative responses to AIDS. She characterizes some Republican rhetoric on HIV-positive immigrants as ``horrible'' and condemns the Christian right for its moralism. But Fisher writes around other issues, leaving it unclear, for instance, whether she agrees with media accounts that portrayed her famous 1992 speech as the only moment of compassion in an otherwise vicious convention. (Dorfman, 2012) On August 20, 1992, Mary Fisher addressed the Republican National Convention in Houston. She spoke for ten minutes in the middle of the day, a time when most audience members milled around and talked rather than listening to the speakers. Fisher spoke in a way that established her presence and commanded the respect and undivided attention of her audience. She represented the demographic that people considered to be excused from AIDS, above falling victim to its disturbing effects. But at the...
Words: 1092 - Pages: 5
...“1992 Republican National Convention Address: A Whisper of AIDS” by May Fisher (1992) at the American Rhetoric website I read the Mary Fisher story. There are plenty of bias and fallacies examples Mary speaks of in this article. Mostly talking about how people are prejudiced and judgmental against people with the HIV virus. How people show no compassion and are so very cruel to the AIDS victims. Mary talks about how her family has shown affection to her through this difficult time but there are many other AIDS victims out there that do not have that. What they get are people being mean and treating them as outcasts. Some examples of rhetorical devices in this article could be where Mary talks about the black infant struggling with tubes in the hospital or the lonely gay man whose family has rejected him. The speaker addresses arguments and counterarguments by talking about how AIDS is not a political creature. She talks about how fast the AIDS virus is spreading and how dangerous it is. The statement that you cry and grieve alone and do not tell anyone that someone was HIV positive and that we should be able to reach out for compassion is very true. The speaker argues that people with the AIDS virus tolerate ignorance from the people who do not have AIDS. In my opinion I would not be cruel to someone who has the AIDS virus. They are still human just as I am. I would only take precautions to ensure my own safety but would not treat them as though they are a monster. ...
Words: 389 - Pages: 2
...The speech I have chosen to write about is the “1992 Republican National Convention Address: A Whisper of AIDS” by May Fisher. Even though I did not notice any bias in the speech, I did recognize fallacies and rhetorical devices. The following fallacies noted are: Scapegoating: “Less than three months ago at platform hearings in Salt Lake City, I asked the Republican Party to lift the shroud of silence which has been draped over the issue of HIV and AIDS.” Scare tactics: “But despite science and research, White House meetings, and congressional hearings, despite good intentions and bold initiatives, campaign slogans, and hopeful promises, it is -- despite it all -- the epidemic which is winning tonight.” Ad hominem: “We have killed each other with our ignorance, our prejudice, and our silence.” I found the following rhetorical devices in the speech: Metaphor: “In the context of an election year, I ask you here in this great hall, or listening in the quiet of your home, to recognize that AIDS virus is not a political creature.” Paradox/Parallelism: “If you believe you are safe, you are in danger. Because I was not hemophiliac, I was not at risk. Because I was not gay, I was not at risk. Because I did not inject drugs, I was not at risk.” Alliteration: “It does not ask whether you are black or white, male or female, gay or straight, young or old.” Rhetorical question: “Are you human? And this is the right question. Are you human...
Words: 359 - Pages: 2
...Bias, Rhetorical Devices and Argumentation ENG/102 January 26, 2014 Bias, Rhetorical Devices and Argumentation The Mary Fisher speech had several different examples of bias, rhetorical devices and fallacies in her argument that perused the American people about HIV and AIDS. The political bias in the speech is where Fisher (1992) states, “With the President’s leadership, much good has been done. Much of the good has gone unheralded, and as the President has insisted, much remains to be done.” Throughout the speech, and the tone of the speech is the scare tactic fallacy technique. One example of scare tactic is where Fisher (1992) states, “Two hundred thousand Americans are dead or dying. A million more are infected. Worldwide, forty million, sixty million, or a hundred million infections will be counted in the coming few years.” A second fallacy in the speech is where Fisher used slippery slope to get her point across in the argument. An example from the speech is where Fisher (1992) states, “AIDS is the third leading killer of young adult Americans today. But it won’t be third for long, because unlike other diseases, this one travels. Adolescents don’t give each other cancer or heart disease because they believe they are in love, but HIV is different, and we have helped it along. We have killed each other with our ignorance our prejudice, and our silence.” Fisher also used some rhetorical devices within her speech to peruse the public which was a rhetorical question and...
Words: 507 - Pages: 3
...interpret sound. Functional hearing loss is caused by an emotional or psychological factor in which there is no physical finding of hearing loss (Lewis et al., 2011) Mosby and Elsevier (2009) (Crusse & Kent, 2013). To determine the type of hearing loss, type of hearing device needed and proper fit, there are different doctors with different levels of education a person can see. Choosing a correct hearing specialist is important. An Audiologist can identify and access hearing disorders. They can also select and correctly fit hearing aids. Audiologists can also program cochlear implants and provide counseling services, rehab and instruction on device usage. An Audiologist is required to have a doctorate or masters degree. A Hearing Aid Specialist can access, select, fit and dispense hearing aids. The can also instruct rehabilitation and counsel in use and care of hearing aids. A certification by the National Board of Certification in Hearing Aid Sciences is...
Words: 2020 - Pages: 9
...Mary Fisher has devoted her life to talking about Aids, so she knows all kinds of statistics; that the common union don’t know about the disease. In her speech an appeal to logos used is, “Two hundred thousand Americans are dead or dying. A million more are infected. Worldwide, forty million, sixty million, or a hundred million infections will be counted in the coming few years.” This piece of logic helps her case, the numbers grabbing the audience’s attention. It makes them sad for all the deaths that have occurred. But not all her uses of logos spread the idea of acceptance, “The rate of infection is increasing fastest among women and children…unlike other diseases this one travels. Adolescents don’t give each other cancer or heart disease...
Words: 683 - Pages: 3
...Bias, Rhetorical Devices, and Argumentation In Mary Fisher’s speech, “A Whisper of AIDS”, she discussed the seriousness of the disease and what it brings. This speech was given on August 19, 1992 in Houston, Texas at the Republican National Convention. In the speech, she points out the fact that everyone is at risk for AIDS. She stated that the common misconceptions about homosexuals being the only people at risk, is just not true. Everyone is at risk. She used specific information in regards to the amount of people HIV is affecting everyday and that the number is continuously growing. She addressed the concern of others stating that it will not affect them because they are straight and in a monogamous relationship with their spouse, but she points out the fact that she contracted the virus in her marriage from her husband. She also talks about how she relates to the people who did contract the virus via means such as drugs and homosexual relationships. She points to the fact that the danger of the disease is right at our front doors, and it will move in even faster if we do not acknowledge its existence and do something to fight it. This must not be kept silent and must be given more attention, and not just shunned. She used a story told by Pastor Nemoellor about the Nazi death camps. “They came after the Jews, and I was not a Jew, so, I did not protest. They came after the trade unionists, and I was not a trade unionist, so, I did not protest. Then they came after the Roman...
Words: 366 - Pages: 2
...The speech I chose to analyze is "A Wisper of AIDS" by Mary Fisher. The speech is focused mainly around persuading people to take action and speak up against AIDS. I Found the speech to be very effective in getting the message across. In this speech Fisher used the appeals of ethos, logos, and pathos to shape her very effective response to the situation at hand. Mary Fisher established ethos from the moment she began speaking. She represented the demographic that people considered to be excused from AIDS, above falling victim to its devastating effects. This is not surprising in the present day because according to Dr. Julie Gerberding, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "...the face of AIDS has changed from being primarily a disease of white men, to a disease of people of all colors and both genders" (Oprah). At the time, in 1992, Fisher shocked people as a wealthy, upper-middle class white women that was HIV-positive. She used herself to show people that even if they thought they were untouchable, they were just as vulnerable as she was. Fisher was not only "safe" from HIV (Fisher, 1992). She went on to account for every additional factor that would stereotypically exempt her from contracting the virus when she said, "because I was not hemophiliac, I was not at risk. Because I was not gay, I was not at risk. Because I did not inject drugs, I was not at risk." The bottom line was, she was "off limits" to its effects, but she got it anyway (Fisher, 1992)...
Words: 990 - Pages: 4
...The Ebola virus and the problem it created in the world The sudden and unexpected outbreak of Ebola has left the world population realise that they are not yet even close to understanding the mystery of mother nature. Even though there are secret whispers by conspiracy theorists that the virus was spread by some big world power to serve their purpose, there allegations are only blank sheets of paper without any proof. According to WHO, Ebola has the record of having the most complex outbreak in the history of such diseases. The virus is widespread in under developed African countries such as Liberia, Nigeria etc. Originating from Guinea in late 2013, the virus has been giving those poor African nations a really hard time. Especially as they are already suffering from bad economy, such outbreaks mean that other countries will practically boycott those countries making it even harder for them to deal with their ever prolonging list of problems. According to CDC, Ebola virus was first spread to human kind through a host bat. And then it spread from human to human. Until mid-2014, the pharmaceutical companies were not in a hurry to develop a vaccine for Ebola. This is understandable from a business perspective as there is little profit for the capitalist corporations by investing in such poor countries. But when the virus was threatening to become a true epidemic, the companies took Ebola vaccine as high priority and are now undergoing drug trials. With this rate, one can hope...
Words: 532 - Pages: 3
...discriminated against because of his disease. Discrimination comes in all kinds of forms, from racism, gender, age and more. I am not sure how this really fits into this period, other than it was in the early 80’s when people started to learn about aids. Homosexuals started coming out of the closet as they say. You had to be afraid to be gay because you would be persecuted for your sexual orientation. Everyone thought Aids was just related to the gay community, but it was also from doing drugs with someone that had the disease. Sharing needles from during heroin with someone that was a carrier. Therefore, here is my take on the movie. Andrew Beckett (Tom Hanks) is one of Philadelphia's most promising lawyers. He is the hot rookie and hired by a top law firm headed by Charles Wheeler (Jason Robards). Andy is also gay and dying from AIDS. When the physical signs of the disease begin to manifest themselves, the firm gets cold on Andy and he is out of a job. They tell him it is because he has an attitude problem and his work is mediocre, but Andy knows it is more personal than that. After no other law firm will take his case for unfair dismissal, his last resort is old adversary Joe Miller (Denzel Washington). Joe, a homophobe with an innate fear of AIDS, is reluctant to take the case also because of his personal reasons, but after seeing Andy humiliated in a public library, cannot resist standing his corner with him. You can see immediately why Hollywood took this film to their heart...
Words: 1289 - Pages: 6
