Wells Audience and Killingsworth

Going all the way back to Ida B. Wells, "Lynch Laws"and Killingworth's "Appeals to Time," I noticed Killingworth's theory of resisting progress. Wells discusses the injustice of racial prejudice, she states "Our country should be speedily above the plane of confessing herself a failure at self-government" (16). The United States chose to take place in a prejudice activity. Or as Killingsworth would describe it, a "reactive rhetoric has evolved in competition with the progressive trend of democratic politics and culture" (Killingsworth 48). American society will never move forward with their political standing if some kind of law about equal rights to all citizens is passed.

Showing the "self" government is not working because it neglects equality. Which leads to America never truly getting ahead in the progress or the world. Statements throughout "Lynch Laws" show the failure of the governmental system. These failures do not seem to be new, nor does it appear to have started with the lynchings. Wells plays somewhat as a history teacher, if you will. She shows the practice of lynching in America and shows lynching into the roots of the US.
 
Wells also writes with a sense of exigency and logos as she tries to appeal to American nationalism as she shares American identity. She uses terms such as "moral and philanthropic forces of the country." Hoping to raise guilt in Americans. She also uses many facts throughout her speech. Her writing styles makes me believe her purpose for writing this piece was that Americans would start to talk about the issue and make everyone aware of it. She felt as if the people would do more than the government itself.