Obama Speech: A Classic Example of Powerful Rhetoric - Essay Example

?Obama Speech: A ic Example of Powerful Rhetoric Introduction Powerful oratory is one of the strongest weapons of successful politicians. History is witness to the fact that people who have been able to influence masses with their oratory have become the powerful leaders and politicians. One such politician is American President Barack Obama. One of the most memorable speeches that he delivered was the one that he gave on March 18, 2008, at the National Centre in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (“Obama Race Speech”). The speech was titled “A More Perfect Union.” The speech “A More Perfect Union” is a classic example of powerful oratory and rhetoric. The speech is the essence of pathos with support of ethos. It is a powerful appeal to American citizens to unite against the problem of racism in the United States. With the use of powerful words and personal life stories, President Barack Obama makes the listener realize that the problem of ‘racism’ has destroyed the chance of bringing the ‘real’ problems that country is facing, to the surface. By giving examples from his personal life and by stating the ‘truth’ in a bold way, he makes the listener feel that he is not talking about some other Black or White person, but he is talking about ‘me.’ Hence, by unmasking the real problems and by discussing the ‘true’ feelings of people from all the ethnic background in an open and honest way, he brings out the ‘humans’ inside the listeners and makes them believe that they are one, as their problems are one. By proving his strength of character and by appealing to the emotions of people, President Barack Obama shocks the listeners with his ‘non-political,’ honest and true speech, and hence, succeeds in convincing them to focus on the ‘real problem’ rather then focusing on the controversial problems that are being hyped by the media to distract their attention from real problems. Rhetorical Analysis In his speech “A More Perfect Union”, President Obama has used the elements of pathos and ethos to persuade the listeners to believe that people of United States have always been distracted from their true goal of solving important problems by brining up the problem of ‘racism’ again and again. The intention of the speech was to make people believe that ‘racism’ is still a threat to people because politicians and other selfish leaders do not want it to be eradicated. Making people to believe this, and persuading them to understand the need of going beyond the ‘race,’ was not an easy task. However, by doing the unexpected, i.e. coming out openly about his personal life, and by bringing out the true feelings in open, President Obama was successful not only in persuading the people to believe in every word that he said, but has also succeeded in winning the hearts of the listeners. The rhetorical elements that have made his speech glorious and powerful are discussed below. Ethos History shows that powerful leaders are those people who stand by their citizens no matter what the conditions are. Powerful leaders not only lead their followers to fight against injustice but also give them a right direction. However, a true test of the leader comes when he has to stand by his followers when they have gone wrong. President Obama’s speech is a powerful example of ‘ethos’ as he has proved his strong and dependable character by accepting the mistake that his former pastor has made and at the same time, defending him by telling people the reason behind his actions. From the speech, it is evident that the intention of his speech was to come clear regarding the accusations that media was indulging in related to the hate speech delivered by his former pastor Reverend Jeremiah Wright. It was a difficult task as it was a tricky situation. However, President Obama, by handling the situation in a mature way, shows his authority as a leader. He not only defended himself but also defended his former pastor Reverend Wright and explained why the problem of ‘racism’ is still alive in the United States. By defending his former pastor, he turned his weakness into his strength and hence, has proved his leadership ability. There are various elements of ‘ethos’ that one can find in his speech. The first and the foremost point that proves his character is his bravery in discussing the controversy over his former pastor Reverend Wright openly in his speech. There were many questions in the minds of people regarding his stance over the racial aspects in Reverend Wright’s speech. President Obama declared his stance very openly. He says that he was aware of Reverend Wright’s critical opinion of American foreign policy and his fiery remarks. But at the same time, he also says that he did not agree to his political views. However, at this point, he adds that “just as I’m sure many of you have heard remarks from your pastors, priests, or rabbis with which you strongly disagreed.” By saying this, he makes the listener realize that if they think that President Obama has done wrong by not expressing his disagreement towards Reverend Wright, then even they have done wrong by not expressing their disagreement in front of their pastors, teachers etc. By using this method of showing the listeners that he has done as everyone would do, President Obama shuts their accusing stand towards him. However, what comes as a more surprising and influencing factor in his speech is his honesty and defense of Reverend Wright. President Obama has very tactfully tackled all the questions that can arise in the minds of people regarding Reverend Wright’s controversy. He says that what the media is showing through snippets of his speech is just half the story. He confesses that if he had seen only this aspect of Reverend Wright’s personality, then even he would have believed that he is a racist. However, President Obama defends Reverend Wright by bringing his true picture in front of people. He makes strong effort to bring the truth about him in front of people. He tells in detail how Reverend Wright has shaped his faith, made him believe in service to humanity and inspired him to triumph over the injustice. In his speech, he also tells the audience how Reverend Wright inspired many Black people to believe in themselves, and have encouraged them to succeed. This is a classic example of ethos. Moreover, he has introduced Reverend Wright as a respectable person by telling the audience that he has “served his country as a U.S. Marine” and “has studied and lectured at some of the finest universities and seminaries in the country.” These facts, which symbolizes ‘ethos,’ shift the opinion of the audience and make them to think again. In such a scenario, any other selfish leader would have tried to bury his relationship with Reverend Wright or would have denied his relations with him. However, President Obama has done the opposite. He not only stood by Reverend Wright but also defended him by saying that the good and the bad aspects in him are the reflection of the good and bad that is prevalent in the American society. By saying this, he makes people realize that even they have those good and bad aspects in their own personality. In this way, he completely changes the outlook of people. Interestingly, the point that marks his victory over the audience is when he refuses to disown Reverend Wright. President Obama, by saying that he cannot disown Reverend Wright, shocks as well as impresses the listeners with the strength of his beliefs, responsible character and leadership qualities. He says that Reverend Wright is as much a part of him as his mother is. He has heard same kind of racial remarks towards Black people from his mother, who belonged to White ethnic background. He has not disowned her and hence, he is not going to disown Reverend Wright also. This statement generates empathy in the hearts of the listeners as they realize that these kinds of situations happen in their own lives too. This is the highlight of the speech as it is at this point where people realize that Barack Obama is not responsible for Reverend Wright’s speech and one should not expect him to disown him. In this way, by accepting the mistake, defending Reverend Wright’s actions and refusing to disown him, President Obama has proved the strength of his character and his capability of becoming a successful leader of the country. Moreover, by giving reasons for his stance, he has proved that he is a people’s leader and not a selfish and arrogant leader who would lead them to destruction. However, what has proved to be the most remarkable and surprising aspect of the speech is the honesty and ‘non-political’ nature of the speech, which appeals to the emotions of the audience. Pathos The speech “A More Perfect Union” is one of the landmark speeches in the history. The speech is drenched with emotions and honesty. The ‘unofficial’ nature of the speech has appealed to the emotions of the audience. In this speech, President Obama has not talked about economy, international relations, war or business. He has shifted the complete focus to the everyday problems that every common citizen of the United States experiences in his everyday life. By doing this, he has straightaway entered the emotional zone of the audience. It won’t be wrong to say that right from the beginning of the speech, President Obama has touched the emotions of the audience. There are various aspects of the speech which hints at the ‘pathos.’ President Obama starts his speech by referring to the declaration of independence in 1787. However, he also mentions that it was unfinished due to the ‘stains of nation’s original sin of slavery.’ By calling slavery as the ‘original sin,’ he hits straight at the core of the human heart. It makes the listener feel guilty as it makes him realize that racism is nothing but another aspect of slavery. This remark grips the attention of the listeners and makes them alert to his words. Moreover, this kind of beginning surpasses the logical mind of the listener and enters his emotional domain. However, what makes the listener convinced is his emotional appeal. The speech is a powerful example of using the ‘pathos’ in persuading audience to believe in you. President Obama has very openly discussed how every person from every race is harboring racial thoughts and feelings in his heart. Without making any effort of being ‘politically correct,’ he has discussed the problem of race as anyone would discuss it in his drawing room or cafe. He, in fact, mentions that it would be ‘politically safe’ to move on from this controversy by dismissing it. But doing so will keep the problem of racism from being solved and will worsen it. By discussing this openly, President Obama makes the listener feel that more than a political speech, it is a heart-to-heart talk. He has explained where the frustration and anger in African-American community has come from. By explanation of how the Blacks were prevented from getting loans, owning property, mortgages etc., he moves the listener to tears. Moreover, by discussing the roots of the African-American community’s issues, he makes the listener realize that there is a reason why African-American people behave the way they do. This proves to be a major strength of his speech. Moreover, he also unmasks the feelings of racism which are hidden in every human being. President Obama very openly states that the anger that Black people harbor against racism does not get expressed in public, in front of white co-workers or white friends, but gets expressed in personal gatherings where they feel ‘safe.’ This statement clearly makes the listener feel that his speech is not intended to hide the truth or to distort any facts, but is an example of extreme honesty and purity of heart. Later, by saying, “and occasionally it finds voice in the church on Sunday morning, in the pulpit and in the pews,” he moves the listener to tears, and wins his heart. Conclusion The discussion above shows how the use of elements of ‘ethos’ and ‘pathos’ helps President Obama to win the hearts of people. By proving his honesty and his strength, he shifts the focus of listeners from controversy to ‘real problem.’ The speech, which is drenched with ‘pathos,’ persuades the listeners to believe that President Obama is right in his stance towards the controversy related to Reverend Wright’s speech. Hence, it will not be wrong to say that the speech “A More Perfect Union,” with its purity, honesty and ‘non-political’ intentions, is a remarkable landmark in efforts to eradicate the problem of racism in the United States. Works Cited “Barack Obama: A More Perfect Union (Full Speech).” YouTube. 18 Mar. 2008. Web. 12 Feb. 2013. < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrp-v2tHaDo> “Obama Race Speech: Read The Full Text.” Huffington Post. 25 May 2011. Web. 12 Feb. 203. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/03/18/obama-race-speech-read-th_n_92077.html Read More