Rhetorical Analysis of The Border Patrol State

The main purpose of Leslie Silko's article "The Border State Patrol" is to raise awareness and comment on the state of things within the borders of the United States. The main claim that is presented in the article is that the power and control of the Border Patrol has become corrupt and needs to be curtailed. As far as trustworthiness Silko is already an established and successful author which certainly brings some credentials to the text, however the admission of possession of medical marijuana is not something that continues that. On the flip side, the fact that she was willing to admit such possession shows that the author is being honest and is more likely to write exactly as she sees it, rather than necessarily through the 'rose glass'. Silko appeals logically to the reader through demostration of the futility of the Border Patrol. She sites (and emphasizes) the negative effects and treatment of innocent citizens shows how it truly is ineffective. Silko effectively appeals to the reader's emotional nature through her imagery and Native American stories. There is very clear description of the freedom of the road and just how that has changed in the past years. All in all, the text certainly advances the main argument relating to the futility of the Border Patrol through clear narration of personal experiences of living near the border.