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John Bragg is a policy analyst for the Center for the Moral Defense of Capitalism and wrote and posted the article “The American Dream: Why Environmentalists Attack the SUB’ on the online Capitalism Magazine publication. This particular publication takes a liberal point of view on giving precedence to individual choice. William “Bill” McKinney is an American environmentalist, author, and journalist who has written extensively on the impact of global warming. His article “Driving Global Warming’ appeared in the May 16, 2001 issue of The Christian Century, an evangelical magazine.
Bragg in his exorcism immediately shows sarcasm and uses insulting words, such as “The Greens” when referring to the environmentalists. He criticizes their comments in regards to the use of Subs, “why would they build “horrible engines of death” and “they use too much gas, threaten air quality and contribute recklessly to the destruction of the environment. ” McKinney in his exorcism compares owning an SUB to the civil rights movement in the sass’s, “belonging to a segregated country club was normal… ND in a space of a few years, those memberships became immoral” just like owning and driving a SUB in the twenty first century.
McKinney feels strongly about global warming. He points out that a “temperature increase as much as eleven degrees could happen by the end of the century; these temperatures would top anything recorded in human history’. This concept in itself should make a person stop and contemplate the idea of global warming. One of the main sources of global warming is carbon dioxide, and twenty. ‘ percent of that CO comes from automobile emissions, as McKinney totes “if you drive an SUB, then you’re driving global warming, even more than the rest of us. McKinney does not only argue the point of SUB and gas emissions, but he also points out that the SUB is not any safer to drive, as SUB owners would like you to think, “in a collision an SUB is twice as likely as a car to kill the other driver” because they roll over so easy. John Bragg however, holds a different opinion, Bragg supports the SUB because he feels “the SUB is an example of what a car should be”, he also supports the idea that “larger ears protect the people inside them”, protection is a big advantage.
Bragg uses ethos by using the example of a teenager counting the days until getting their license, Bragg stimulates the readers pride as Americans, provokes feelings of freedom and entitlement. Yes, driving is part of growing up, but really, how many teenagers are going to own an SUB. Bragg really emphasizes the idea of technology and wealth, Americans like technology, Americans like nice “big” luxuries – -the SUB is “an example of both; people using the technology available to enhance their lives. Owning an SUB is the American way.
McKinney appeals to a Christian evangelical audience; he really focuses on the ethics of “every American” being responsible for this “environmental crisis. If we care about people in this world, than we need to change the way we are doing things. McKinney also uses quotes from the Bible, and makes many references to God. He also refers to global warming and Subs as a Christian moral issue. Bragg appeals to the individual, gun- toting freedom loving American. He believes America was raised on big cars and the environmentalists have forced car manufactures to change what
America was built on, “Contrary to the environmentalists, cars are a powerful symbol of what makes America the greatest, and the freest, country in the world”. Bragg does not want to assume any responsibility for the possibility that Subs may be a cause of global warming. His comment “endangered species are valuable because, well they are endangered- – nature put them there”. What an arrogant comment, in my opinion. These arguments though polar in opinion bring food for thought, but what it comes down to is personal preference and individual choice; technology and safety or the safety of the environment.