Cicero and Westboro

Cicero illustrates many points in which the rhetor has a great amount of responsibility. For instance: "No man can speak, without the direst disgrace, on a subject which he has not mastered" (322). Reflecting Aristotle's ideas, it is fair to say that many great rhetoricians favored this idea that one should never speak on a matter of which he does not know everything without being mistaken for a fool. Cicero also speaks on how it is the rhetor's duty to first secure the "favor of the audience" (328). "Now nothing in oratory... is more important than to win for the orator the favor of his hearer, and to have the latter so affected as to be swayed by something resembling a mental impulse of emotion, rather than by judgement or deliberation" (328). A question this rises for me, however, is the practicality of being able to win the favor of ALL of the hearers... or is it a more reasonable goal to aim for the favor of MOST of our hearers?  Cicero then goes on to highlight on the importance of a positive demeanor when addressing a crowd, "It is very helpful to display the tokens of good-nature, kindness, calmness, loyalty, and a disposition that is pleasing and not grasping or covetous, and all the qualities belonging to men who are up-right" (329).

All of these points bring to mind for me the use of rhetoric by Westboro Baptist Church. For the most part, the members of this church are related to the founder, Fred Phelps. They employ a rhetoric that is aggressive, abrasive, and for the most part, ignorant and unfounded. Their public outcries are rarely successful in bringing in new members. To me, this is a perfect example of how Westboro slights their responsibility as a rhetor and consequently, how to NOT gain public favor.