Saturday, September 5, 2015

#6 Evaluation of General Sources; On the Death Penaltly


“Supreme Court Backs Use of Lethal Injection Drug”
URL: 
http://www.cnn.com/2015/06/29/politics/supreme-court-lethal-injection-ruling/. 
The URL of the CNN article analyzing the morality and constitutionality of Lethal Injection ends with .com. This implies the general web, with no scholarly restrictions, or education-establishment affiliations to the website. If the source was a .edu, .org, or .gov, the source would be more credible, as it would be connected to specific education/government-based organizations. However, CNN is a news station, so their articles, though potentially biased, depict factual information, as well as opinionated editorials. 

AUTHOR: 
Ariane de Vogue was the author of this particular article. Ariane de Vogue is a CNN Supreme Court reporter, and generally works with modern controversial topics in politics. Some of the issues she addresses includes the movement to legalize gay marriage, planned parenthood scandals, the right to life, healthcare, and religious freedom. De Vogue graduated from George Washington University, and was a former Supreme Court Reporter on ABC news as well. 

LAST UPDATED: 
This article was last updated on June 29th, Monday, at 2:03 PM. The links on this page send the readers to other CNN articles depicting the role of certain politicians/SCOTUS judges on the case of lethal injection, and other articles debating the constitutionality/morality of Capital Punishment. 

PURPOSE: 
The text is attempting to analyze the national controversy supporting lethal injection, and subtly refute the pro-capital punishment argument by illuminating the inhumane actions in an execution in the Oklahoma State Court. The author provides perspective to the potential harm and immoral effects of lethal injection through a general analysis of the opinions of SCOTUS members. The author utilizes the article to inform and persuade the readers to assume malpractice in capital punishment through specific evidence that fails to justify the opposition's argument in that judges '"are not confronted with the threat of violence that is ever present in many Americans' everyday lives."'

GRAPHICS: 
The article includes a broadcast video of the issue at hand. The article is a synopsis of the show that was displayed on CNN. 
Position on Subject: The author depicts underlying bias against lethal injection in that she fails to elaborate or justify the opposing side's arguments. However, as I am against capital punishment, my interpretation might be different than another reader who supports lethal injection; thus, the author's subtle bias could be missed by an audience not searching for it. 

LINKS: 
These two links are presented for "further reading" at the bottom of the article, as well as a hyperlink to CNN's Political Twitter. A related video section includes other broadcasts analyzing similar cases evaluating lethal injection in the US. The article has no direct in-text citations. 

“Botched Lethal Injections Executions Reignite the Death Penalty Debate”
URL: 
http://www.npr.org/2015/01/06/375399560/botched-lethal-injection-executions-reignite-death-penalty-debate
The URL has a .org address insinuating it's affiliations with a national organization. NPR reports international and domestic news supported by various sources and multiple analyzations of multi-faceted evidence in order to deliver well-rounded broadcasts intended to inform a general public. 
AUTHOR: 
Wade Goodwyn authored "Botched Lethal Injection Executions Reignite Death Penalty Debate"  akljf Wade Goodwyn is a national NPR Desk Correspondent covering Texas and the surrounding states. Goodwin covers general news, and any specific topic, ranging from politics to natural disasters, to economics. Before joining NPR, Goodwyn was a political consultant in NY with a degree in history from the University of Texas. 
LAST UPDATED: The page was last updated on January 6th, 2015, at 5:45 PM. The web page provides links to a general search of the NPR database for pharmaceuticals, lethal injection, the death penalty, Texas, and Arizona (where the article takes place). 
PURPOSE: Goodwyn appeals to his audience's emotions by graphically depicting the "botched execution" of Joseph Wood in order to highlight the horrors of lethal injection. Goodwin simultaneously attempts to sway the reader, as well as inform them of both the process, and immorality of the death penalty. 
GRAPHICS:
Goodwyn includes a general picture of an eerie, cold looking execution room. He also includes a photo of Joseph Wood, so that readers can place a name to a face (further disturbs one's emotions). Goodwyn includes enlarged quotes intended to further the reader's perspective of the malpractice of lethal injection. 
POSITION ON SUBJECT: 
Goodwyn has a clear bias against lethal injection. He expresses the clear inhumanity and pain experienced by the prisoners sentenced to death in order to appeal to his reader's emotions. A reader who had no knowledge on the subject, and read this article, would most likely form opinions against the death penalty. However, one in support of capital punishment would not benefit from Goodwyn's assertions. Goodwin does not justify counter arguments in support of lethal injection, however, he does address them. 

LINKS: Goodwyn includes hyperlinks for specific names and cases in order to allow the reader an opportunity for extensive knowledge on the overarching subject of both the constitutionality and morality of the death penalty, as well as the key influences (people) within the modern debate. 

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