Post 1: Confederate Flag and Episcopal Church Shooting

1.         The persuasive artifact and analysis of its use of persuasion theory using BJ Fogg’s Behavioral Change Model that I have selected to analyze is that of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (“NAACP”) President and CEO speech in Charleston, South Carolina.  His speech is on the shooting that recently took place in a historic Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church (“EAMEC”) where sum nine (9) people were shot and killed and, how it relates to a bigger problem regarding both racial hatred across the country and even more specifically, the flying of a Confederate flag over the state capital in South Carolina and how that is indicative of this widespread, systemic problem. 

a.         The video can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHNY0sysJcc

2.         It’s well established that according to BJ Foggs and the Foggs Behavior Model (“FBM”) three (3) elements must converge or come together at one moment for a behavior to occur. These elements are Motivation, Ability and Trigger. Further, within these elements are sub elements or components.

a.         Motivation:

The artifact occurs and results from motivation inspired by the shooting that took place in the EAMEC, how the shooting was found to be racially motivated and therefore a hate crime. In that the NAACP mission statement is to eliminate racial hatred and racial discrimination, it’s not unreasonable to conclude that this was the governing motivation, which moved them to action. Therefore under FBM, specific factors that contributed to the motivation for giving the speech would be pain and fear.

i.          Within the actual artifact itself, they use the EAMEC as motivation to stir up the listeners and create public discourse around the issue as found within or racial hatred and the flying of the confederate flag over the state capital. Again, using pain and fear as sub elements of motivation. 

b.         Abilities:

The simplicity factors or abilities that contributed to the artifact under the FBM are time, money, physical effort, and brain cycles. All of these working together and in play, formed a trigger.

i.          Further, these abilities can be manifested throughout the artifact calling upon both its members, community and nation who have the time, money, physical effort, brain cycles, etc. to action and bring down the confederate flag.

c.         Triggers:

The trigger being the shooting that took place in the EAMEC together with having the confederate flag flying over the state capital. Consequently, the President and CEO of the NAACP giving his speech, condemning racial hatred and advocating for the confederate flag to be taken down over the state capital.

i.          These same triggers were also used throughout his speech to persuade the listeners to action.

3.         Having the right amount of motivation as listed above, together with the abilities as listed above, a trigger is set off as listed above, creating an affective consequence or behavior influenced by or resulting from the emotions created therein.

Process Premises

4.         The artifact attempts to construct as a basis of persuasion needs; emotions, attitudes and consistency for process premises. The premise succeeds in that it (a) establishes a need, I.E. to eliminate racial hatred and the bringing down of the confederate flag over the state capital; (b) using emotions created within its listeners in whole or in part by the EAMEC shooting, it very effectively persuades its audience that because “A” (shooting) is equal to “B” (flying of flag) we must “C,” (take flag down). Further, the artifact uses the attitudes of both its members and followers as a means by which they are more readily able to persuade them to their cause given their already formed biases. Finally, the artifact argues for consistency in that absent the flag being taken down, racial hatred and discrimination will continue and not be in conformity with other areas.

Fallacious Reasoning

5.         I believe the speaker very articulately and persuasively makes his point and therefore is successful overall. However, I believe his points are only successful to the extent absent which an analysis of fallacious reasoning is conducted. I believe the speaker uses fallacious reasoning throughout his speech. Specifically:

a.         Non-Sequitir, he makes jumps in logic. Speaker states shooter was indoctrinated by those who support one's heritage for or resulting from the confederacy or confederate flag. Further, because the confederate flag is flying over the state capital the shooting occurred resultant of it being an indoctrination factor which contributed to the killer’s actions.

i.          Further, those who support their heritage of the confederate flag are persons of the “White Nationalists Movement” or “purveyors of hate.”

b.         Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc, or identifying a false cause and effect. Because the confederate flag is flying over the state capital, the flag represents oppression, the shooter had other flags of oppression on his clothing, therefore the flag must have been motivation for the shooter and therefore should be taken down.

c.          Hasty generalization, that unless the flag is taken down, it will be the cause of more hate and more shootings.