The article “Don’t Ever Forget Now, You’re a Black Man in America”: Intersections of Race, Class, and Gender in Encounters with the Police,” was published in 2008 and explores the experience of young American men with the local police (Dottolo et al.). Over the years, the issue of crime and criminal activities in the United States of America has been on the rise due to various factors. Middle-aged white and African American men from Midwest U.S. High School were interviewed on several topics relating to race and racial identity (Dottolo et al.).

The nature of replies expected from them included what they believed about police harassment and crime, and the group that is considered to be the perpetrators of crime who are mostly poor black men. The study involved 38 participants.

The research brought into light several issues that have been deeply rooted in the U.S. although people tend to ignore them. These include misconception about crime and its association with race, social class, and police harassment (Dottolo et al.: Stewart et al.). The results of the article showed that the black race is considered as the root of crime in the country by the citizens, a sentiment that is shared with the law enforcers who mishandles the blacks and especially men during an arrest (Dottolo et al.: Stewart et al.). The writers of the article employ the three appeals of Aristotle’s which include ethics, emotions, and logic (Dlugan). By so doing they can show the hypocrisy that dwells in the U.S. on the issue.
Ethos (Ethics)
The moral part of the arguments puts across in the article relates to how noble it is to victimize one race on unfounded facts. The U.S. police force has come under scrutiny in the media severally regarding how they handle members of the black community (Dottolo et al.). Morally this is not right because African Americans do not perpetrate all crimes in the country. The perception that African Americans are violent people who are always out to cause trouble is a misconception that does not resonate well with the moral aspect of the society. The study showed that the black participants had no trust with the local police force and were always afraid of being victimized while in their hands (Dottolo et al.). Besides, the participants from the white community were treated leniently by the same police officers showing the moral decay in the United States concerning how the police handle different races.

Pathos (Audience Emotion)

The authors’ appeal to the emotions of the audiences by exploring certain topics that always ignites social debates that assume an emotional aspect. The replies from the participants highlighted the issue of racial discrimination perpetrated towards the black minorities and the privileges enjoyed by the majority who are the whites in the U.S. (Dottolo et al.). Although the participants were barred from giving replies based on their racial affiliations, the analysis of the data collected showed that indeed discrimination is on a high in the country. The writers talk of people downgrading others merely because they are of different ethnicity. Besides, they also highlight how some of the participants had been roughed up by the police since they belonged to a given race (Dottolo et al.). Such information is meant to appeal to the emotional aspect of the readers of the article.

Logos

According to Aristotle, Logos refers to the logical aspect of the topic in question. In the quest to outline, the logic of the issue of crime and how it is classified along the racial line in the U.S., the researchers interview participants from the two major groups in the U.S. concerning population (Dottolo et al.). These are the blacks and the whites. More so, participants are barred from giving replies based on the racial background. The results are informative and depict the conditions on the ground regarding crime, police harassment, and the issue of race (Dottolo et al.). The results showed that African Americans as a race are considered more prone to criminal activities, and even the police treat them harshly in comparison to other groups.

The Aristotle’s appeals of pathos, ethos, and logos form a platform upon which the article is discussed. They allow the writers to employ various aspects that are significant in the passing down of the intended message that relates to racial discrimination and how widespread it is in the U.S. There is a need to look into the issue highlighted in the article and provide a solution if the U.S. society is to continue thriving together harmoniously.