What is brown’s purpose in writing this article?

Overview
Analysis is a tricky skill. When you read, it is natural to read from the perspective of a reader. It is harder to shift your thinking to the perspective of a writer. Deconstructing a text – using your critical thinking skills to break a text down and consider the effectiveness of the author’s choices – is a skill that will take practice. But it is a skill that will help you improve the way you construct your own writing.
In this discussion you will practice these critical analysis skills.
You should spend approximately 2 hours on this assignment.
Instructions
Carefully read and annotate the following article by Bryan Brown, found at the CCCOnline Library: “The Pledge of Allegiance Has Undergone Many Changes Since It Was First Written. What Does It Mean to Americans Today?”
Think: What is the article about? What is Brown’s purpose in writing this article? How do you know? What audience do you think Brown is targeting? What evidence makes you think that? What is the tone? How can you tell?
Write: Write a short paragraph summarizing the article and discussing its main ideas. Then, analyze the rhetorical situation. Use the SOAPStone acronym that was presented in the Exploration section. Identify the speaker, occasion, audience, purpose, subject, and tone of the article. Paraphrase evidence from the article that supports your assessment of each element. Use specific examples from the article to support your interpretation of the audience, purpose, occasion, and tone. Remember to use an in-text citation each time you paraphrase. (For this assignment, a Works Cited page is not required.)
Post one original post, and reply to at least two of your classmates. In your replies to peers, try to further the discussion by asking thoughtful questions, adding interesting information, or connecting your reply to the material we are discussing. What details did your peers notice that you didn’t? Do you agree or disagree with your peers’ assessments of the SOAPStone of the article?