No Salt For You!

image via http://www.consumerfreedom.com/cartoons.cfm#cartoon136

Word Count: 401

1.      Argument:   New York City’s focus on health, particularly sodium intake, is ridiculous and untimely.

2.      Audience:  Americans who are interested in politics and following current political issues.   

3.      Goal:  To make the audience see how silly it is for New York to crack down on sodium intake at this time.

4.      How:

·        Ethos:   The audience will feel sympathy for the people standing in line waiting for soup at the soup kitchen.  The caption “No Salt For You” is in reference to the Soup Nazi made famous on Seinfeld.  Most of the audience will be familiar with his catch phrase “No soup for you!”  They will find this clever link amusing and appropriate.  The way the Health Commissioner makes him look kind of shady and high on himself.   This will cause the audience to view what he is saying as shady and pompous as well.

·        Logos:    The argument of the cartoon is very logical.  The audience will agree that the health commissioner telling a fellow American who is poor and hungry enough to be in line at the soup kitchen to not eat the soup due to the sodium level is outrageous.   The signs that are posted saying “financial meltdown worst since great depression” shows a much larger issue than salt that New York should be focusing on.

·        Accurate:  Some of the cartoon is accurate, like the financial meltdown and the long lines at the soup kitchen being important issues that need to be addressed.  The shady portrayal of the Health Commissioner may not be as accurate.  And also the fact that he is directing his efforts at the needy is not accurate.  He is working with large manufacturers to reduce salt in their products, not end consumers.

·        Relevant:  This is very relevant to the audience.  The sodium reduction legislation is happening currently and many Americans are experiencing the effects of the crumbling economy.

5.      Effective or Not:   I think the ad is very effective.  It shows the very real issue of job loss and the financial meltdown that most Americans have felt the effects of.  It then shows a representative of New York City not only ignoring this issue, but lecturing the people about a much more trivial effect of their extremely limited choices.  Although I do not think it is entirely accurate, the cartoon does a good job at making New York City look stupid.