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Cameron In One Nation, Slightly Divisible, David Brooks uses statistics and interviews to prove his points. While he stereotypes and criticizes both "Red" and "Blue" America, he recognizes the nation's essential need for each culture. Brooks notices in Franklin County (Red America) the general wage and living expense is much less than that of Montgomery County (Blue America), stating: "The first and most obvious one is that although the incomes in Franklin County are lower than those in Montgomery County, living expenses are also lower -- very much so." While Brooks gathers information and statistics in both Franklin and Montgomery County, he draws many conclusions from each community. The difference that stands out most between these two cultures is their self-perception. Brooks states: "In Blue America the self is more commonly large. People say in a million ways, 'I am special. I have carved out my own unique way of life.'" This is opposite for the more down-to-earth "Red" individual. However, after the events of September eleventh, Brooks noticed that both Red and Blue cultures united, and paid their respects to New Yorkers. "...all the jokes about and seeming hostility toward New Yorkers vanished, to be replaced by an outpouring of respect, support, and love." Although "Red" and "Blue" America seem opposite, they share many qualities and are united in a nationalistic way. David Brooks supports his ideas by observing the different cultures in America, and noticing certain instances where we as a nation are tried with great adversity. Kelsey David Brooks uses interview techniques, statistics, anecdotes, research materials, and descriptive details to present the idea that America is divided as a nation, and comes to the conclusion that, in times of need, citizens will bond together. Brooks's use of statistics such as, "45 percent of minority members in Red states agree with the statement 'AIDS might be God's punishment for immoral sexual behavior'" (p. 56) provides helpful information and gives the piece a more humorous, less preachy feel. Ultimately, these facts are what provide the backbone for the article. The descriptive details provided on pages 54 and 55 offer a humorously meticulous description of the types of men in the two counties. In the end, Brooks shows how the power to choose unites us all, this provides with the glue that allows U.S. citizens to connect. Bailey Brooks' article, One Nation, Slightly Divisible, incorporates anecdotes and statistics to give credible, yet also understandable meaning to his point. He divides his article into subtopics, which provide a logical flow to his paper. Brooks describes what he observes taking place in different parts of society and compares them to one another, without any bias. This enables the reader to see the complete and whole picture that is presented. His observations range from the humorous to the very serious; appearance to religion to economics, keeping the reader interested in what is being shown. Brooks incorporates a wide range of statistics: "In Montgomery County 60 percent of the population is white, 15 percent is black, 12 percent is Hispanic, and 11 percent is Asian. In Franklin County 95 percent of the population is white" (p. 55) This provides reliable information and gives credibility to the article. While Brooks addresses statistics, he also includes anecdotes that are common among people. By doing this Brooks can provide something that the readers can understand: "In my world the easiest way to categorize people is by headroom needs." (p. 55) This is a visual that many people can picture or can relate a person to: either big-headroom or small-headroom. Brooks relies upon a number of techniques to create his article and these assortments of techniques create a credible, non-biased reflection on the "divisions" in America. Kathryn In One Nation, Slightly Divisible, David Brooks uses interview techniques, statistics, anecdotes, research materials, and descriptive detail to support his conclusion that despite various cultural differences, the citizens of America are united in protecting the countryÕs well-being; especially during times of need. BrooksÕ statistics provide concrete evidence to support his points. Many of his distinctions between liberal and conservative Americans could be interpreted as completely subjective, were there not facts to provide the skeleton for his arguments. The average SAT scores of students in Red and Blue America bolster BrooksÕ characterization of the two culturesÕ educational differences with numeric evidence. His statistics about ethnic diversity in Red and Blue America are interesting to the reader, and provide a basic outline of knowledge on which to balance less scientific data. Brooks weaves statistics flawlessly with anecdotes and descriptive details, which make the tone of the essay more light-hearted. Instead of preaching or lecturing, Brooks includes humorous observations and details, thereby establishing a friendly relationship with the reader. Instead of listing facts or relying solely on his own observations, Brooks entwines the two to create a well-balanced piece that is both educational and enjoyable to read. BrooksÕ citations illustrate that he has researched his topic and discussed the issue with many people, which makes him significantly more credible. Statements from people within the societies that he describes add a human element to his description, and broaden the scope of the essay with different points of view. Jamie In One Nation, Slightly Divisible, David Brooks employs certain techniques to support his social, political, and economic views of "Red" and "Blue" America. His writing portrays the immense contrasts that are seemingly splitting rural and urban areas, and he conveys this with the use of particular methods. One manner he often uses to bolster his conclusions, is the use of statistics. In describing the social diversities of the two sects of the nation, Brooks writes: "In Montgomery Country 60 percent of the population is white, 15 percent is black, 12 percent is Hispanic, and 11 percent is Asian. In Franklin County 95 percent of the population is white; in Montgomery 50 percent of the adults have college degrees and 91 percent have high school diplomas; in Franklin County only 12 percent of the adults have college degrees and only 69 percent have high school diplomas. Comparing the figures of education and race, Brooks helps one see that Montgomery(blue) is much more educated and diverse than Franklin(red). Brooks also uses details. He tells about the perception each side has of its self (blue individual and powerful, red "down to earth."). He describes the simple appearance of the rural peoples, "they wear T-shirts and caps with big brand names on them," followed by a description of urban people's desire to boast their accomplishments, "parents can barely see through their back windows for all the Ivy League stickers." These details help to gap the modest perception Red Americans have of themselves with the egotistical ones Blue Americans have of themselves, and show how these self-reflections set the political beliefs of these two sides apart. Anecdotes make their way into Brooks arsenal on several occasions, like when he tells about the accounts of religious goers and how these stories illustrate moral differences, as does the use of researching historical facts that contend his beliefs. But as Brooks interviewing techniques do point to the deep chasms that separate Americans, they also help to show America is a working, unified country of uniqueness.

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