In Rush Limbaugh’s essay, “Condoms: The New Diploma”, he shows the absurdity of the distribution of condoms in high school. He goes on to say that abstinence should be the only sex education because condoms do not provide full protection against sexually transmitted diseases. Limbaugh’s essay is a one sided opinion that maintains a constant thesis and is sarcastically persuasive, but contains several logical fallacies and little support for data. Limbaugh essay could appeal to the average conservative, but would probably alienate liberals because of its strong one sided opinion, and educated readers who are able to look past his sarcastic humor and find his generalizations illogical and foolish.

Upon analyzing Limbaugh’s essay I was able to identify the rhetorical elements. This is a biased essay as it was intended to be. Limbaugh shows this by discussing the absurdity of the distribution of condoms in high school throughout the entire essay. He only lists the advantages of abstinence leaving out any for school provided condoms as he believes there are none. He uses rhetorical questions, hypothetical situations, and facts for grounds to support his argument. However, wh

Upon further examination I was able to identify the critical elements of this essay. The audience that this essay appeals to is obviously the adult population given they are the ones distributing or not distributing condoms in public schools. Looking further into this analysis, Limbaugh is an ultra conservative, right-wing talk show host whose material appeals to a white middle-class audience. So this article most likely appeals to the average white conservative adult and probably doesn’t appeal to any liberals or adolescents who are or that want to be sexually active. Today Cultural attitudes would perceive this article differently because teens are more aware of the risks of sex these days than ever before. In Limbaugh essay he presents his argument as if teens are living under a rock. For example, he addresses adults when saying, “Free love and rampant one-night stands are tougher to come by because people are aware of the risks. In short, we have modified our behavior. Now would someone tell me what is so difficult about sharing this knowledge and experience with kids?” The consequences surround teens every single day. ? For example, one of the highest rated programs viewed by teens is The Real World, a show in which seven strangers are forced to live together in a house and are constantly taped by cameras. In one series a gay man named Pedro was living in the house while suffering from AIDS. Shortly, after the series ended Pedro died from complications of this virus. Through his work with MTV, he taught young people that “The Real World” includes AIDS and that each of us has the responsibility to protect ourselves and our loved ones. There is no avoiding the harsh realities of the consequences of sex, because adults are sharing their knowledge now more than ever before. The main event that convinced Limbaugh to write about this issue was the distribution of condoms at public schools. Some other events that also arose at the time Limbaugh dwelled on this idea appear in the essay. For example he says, “In New York, the City board of education narrowly won (4-3) the passage of a resolution requiri

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