Joel Salatin encourages his readers to break free from the yoke of an oppressive
'food fraternity' that is killing Americas food diversity in his work 'Declare your
Independence.' Salatin plays appeals to his reader in a variety of way playing on logos,
ethos, and pathos. Logos through his writing on the content of modern food, ethos by
building his argument in a way that connect to the readers dinning table, and pathos
through his appeal to his readers sense of responsibility and respect for themselves and
the world.

Salatin opens his argument discussing what is actually in the food we eat and buy
from grocery store shelves. He refers to the various to our food as being ' chemically
fertilized, sprayed by pesticide, or ripened with gas' leaving the reader to deduct the
negative impacts those methods are having on our food. Salatin also compares to how
buffalo lived prior to industrialization in a healthy and abundant manor and that there is
no reason why our live stock population, which is smaller, could not do the same. The
reader is asked to reflect on what they have been buying and is asked to think about the
various food items they buy and think about the labels that are confusing and full of
warnings and are challenged to ask them selves the question; is what I am eating safe?
Salatin would argue no, he refers to the negative health impacts of ingredients such as
corn syrup and how they cause diabetes. Salatin logos is reliant on the readers deductive
reasoning looking at the generalities of the food we eat not explaining the complexities of
the chemicals he refers too. The generalities Salatin uses can are also clear in his
reference to the ties between the government and the food industry, he refers to the
'corporate profits that are really being protected' by 'power brokers (politicians and the
like.)' but no where does Salatin refer to a specific piece of legislation or evidence. It is
in his reference to the connection with the government that Salatin could have used a
piece of evidence to build his case. It is apparent through these generalities he uses that
Salatin prefers deductive rather than inductive reasoning to appeal to his audience.
Salatin does not just appeal to his audiences sense of reason but also moves to building
common ground in his ethos.

The connection between the readers diet and where the food comes from is
apparent throughout this work. Salatin writes about how the processed food we it goes
strait in to our stomach and into our digestive system. It is clear that everyone is affected
by what they eat. Salatin also refers to history going back millennia to when humans
didn't know what processed food was and how most of human history has thrived
without it. Salatin focuses on how this modern epidemic of heavily processed food only
goes back to the early 1900's when dairy competition leads to a decrease in dairy quality
due to sabotage of feeds as being raising the need for food regulation. Today's food
industry does not require these regulations as most food produced prior to regulation
were for the most part healthy and there is no reason why they wouldn't be now. Salatin
gives his readers a plan to go about gaining this natural food, gowing your own food and
buying from the local farmers market what is in season and preserving what is not to use
when needed. It is safe to say that Salatin is an expert in this life style and is giving us the
information and confidence to go about using it.

Salatin from his title 'declare your independence' to his final words constantly
refers to that idea that we are a free society and food is no exception. Food is something
that Salatin has pride in and respect for and he appeals to his readers' ideas or having a
sense of duty to him/herself to watch what they feed themselves and their families.
Salatin focuses on very classical American ideals that make the writing feel as if it is
directed toward an American audience, which appears to be the case. He leave us with a
question near the end to ask ourselves 'what are we doing to opt out of the industrial food
system.' Salatin gives us alternatives to assert our independence and tells us to use these
methods to achieve independence.

Salatin makes excellent points in his writing. He is able to articulate his argument
in a way that relates well to ordinary individuals. Salatins use of inductive reason allows
the readers to analyse general information in a way that makes sence with out turning the
facts into a science. Salatin allows gives his readers clear information drawing from logic
and clear reason. Finally Salatin appeal to the American ideals of constitutional freedoms
and revolution, he persuades readers to start a food revolution against the 'food
fraternity.' It is all these methods combined into one coherent work that make Salatins
argument affective and impactful to readers.
