By Sydney Schurz – Ocotillo City Reporter
As Girls State has begun, so have local elections! In each city, the positions of Mayor, Councilmen, and Precinct Committeemen have all been up for grabs. To obtain these roles though, a 30-60 second speech must be cleverly put together and presented in an impromptu style. This puts much pressure on candidates but is also a great way to test their rhetorical skills.
Many girls at Girls State have taken AP Language, which is a class focused chiefly on rhetoric. By definition, rhetoric is the art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing, especially the use of figures of speech and other compositional techniques. In political speeches, rhetoric is heavily infused in writing, advertising, and public speaking. Even the teenage nominees know about this idea, and it assisted many in being elected to a city office.
Daniela Putu-Kang of the Nationalist Party is a strong believer in strong rhetoric. She is currently reading “Win Every Argument” by Mehdi Hasan to learn how to improve her talent in debating. So far, Putu-Kang has learned three essential things: “First, understand both sides of the argument, and even learn more about the opposing side so that you can counter and make your argument stronger. Second, know your audience. Present in a way that they will understand, and in a way that will make them want to agree with you. Lastly, be respectful! No one will choose the side of someone who bashes them throughout their point. Stay calm and collected, do not go for someone personally. Stick to the facts.” With the help of this novel, Daniela is glad to serve the Nationalist Party and the City of Ocotillo as a newly elected Precinct Committeeman!
Sonya Colattur and Maddie Carder also ran for Precinct Committeemen for their party; the Federalists. Although these two girls both got elected, their sense of rhetoric was approached differently. Sonya’s speech was strong and fact-based, and Maddie’s was more of a narrative filled to the brim with personal experience. Sonya stated that “…this is Girls State! Women’s Rights is what this body of students is all about. We are at the forefront of the future, and women deserve a seat at the table.” Her speech inspired many and began with statistics about women in the workplace, as victims of domestic violence, and involvement in politics. Maddie’s, on the other hand, began with her experience in clubs, orchestra, and service organizations in her school and community. Her participation in these social and economic areas helped to relate Carder to the rest of the delegates, and therefore would help her represent her peers as a Committeeman.
Whether it be following steps, sharing facts, or enlightening others with personal anecdotes, rhetoric is omnipresent in politics and continues to lead candidates to success!