Monday, December 5, 2011

Females Can't Get a License in Saudi Arabia

Can you imagine what our society would be like if women weren't allowed to obtain a driver's license? Drive on the streets? Sometimes our freedoms in the United States are taken for granted, and after reading this article, I definitely take driving around town for granted. What if the cultures of the United States banned females from driving? Considered that we "lost our modesty" or "overcrowded the streets"? The claims that are reported in this article that go against women who drive are terrible. Those women in Saudi Arabia who drive will more easily rebel against their husbands, and increase in prostitution, divorce, pornography, and homosexuality. Articles like these make me really happy I am an American.

Andrew Rosenthal uses a couple of rhetorical techniques to appeal to his audience. He explains the de facto of women not being allowed to obtain drivers' licenses and the culture consequences surrounding the issue. Rosenthal then writes about King Abdullah considering removing the ban on women and allowing them to get their driver's licenses. This technique establishes his creditability as an author on the subject and appealing to the ethos of the audience. Another technique that Rosenthal uses is that he questions the Saudi Arabian men to his audience when he asks, "Are Saudi men so fragile that the mere sight of a female driver will lead them into a state of sinfulness? Is the line between upstanding citizen of Saudi Arabia and divorced-homosexual-pornographer so thin?" (Rosenthal 1). To his American audience, these are ironic questions that make us question their culture. Another technique that Andrew Rosenthal uses in his "Beware of Female Drivers" article is that he makes connections similar to the situation in Saudi Arabia with the Yale Skull and Bones club and his opinion on homosexual marriages. This technique allows the audience to connect with the author and make their own connections. Overall, Andrew Rosenthal writes a direct article that questions Saudi Arabia's need to have a de facto against women getting their driver's licenses.

Source: Rosenthal, Andrew . "Beware of Female Drivers." The New York Times 5 Dec. 2011, sec. Opinion: n. pag. The New York Times. Web. 5 Dec. 2011.

2 comments:

  1. How rude! Womens rights all the way. Women are better drivers then men!

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  2. I also blogged on this! I obviously agree with you that it is ridiculous that driving should be such a big issue. I am happy that I get to drive to school everyday and not be accused of prostitution by doing so.

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