Effects of Rhetoric Skills to Achieve a Cause - Essay Example

?The Effects of Rhetoric Skills to Achievement of a Cause This paper is about Past Imperial Potentate Caesar Blake, Jr.’s rhetoric and the achievements that were made from the same. It takes into focus the times in which the Imperial Potentate lived, the challenges he met and how he tackled them through speech and writing. Introduction Racially triggered battles whether physical, legal or even religious have been a common phenomenon throughout history. Such battles took place within the Freemason societies in the United States that lasted over two decades. During this time, racial discrimination against the Black in the United States was an evil that the society not only accepted but also approved. What then were the odds of a black society infringing on a white society’s copyrights stand of winning a legal battle against the latter if the case was heard by an all- white jury? The answer to the question would obviously be very slim if any. Past Imperial Potentate Caesar Blake, Jr. and his Black Shriners fought such a battle and won. The win remains embalmed in the Masonic history and is celebrated every year as the Jubilee day. Freemasonry is one of the World's largest and oldest men’s fraternity. The fraternity has its roots on the middle ages guilds established by stonemasons who constructed the great cathedrals and castles of medieval Europe. Modern Freemason fraternities use the traditions, tools and terminologies to symbolize building men’s. Though many claim that the group is secretive, the freemasons themselves dispute this and claim that even though they exhibit high levels of discipline, no society of their size could be secretive (Shriners). In the United States freemasons are in two distinctive societies based on their race; the White masons and the Black masons. The masons refer to themselves as Shriners. They claim to be a fraternity based on fun and fellowship and upholding the Masonic principles of relief, truth and brotherly love. The White Masonry society was established in 1872 with an aim of being a source of fun and to extend charitable actions through their activities. The fraternity these Masons established was referred to as the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine and was exclusively for the Whites. In 1893 the Black Masons created their own Shrine society which they referred to as the Ancient Egyptian Arabic Order (AEAONMS) also referred to as Prince Hall Shrinedom. Both societies called their chapters "temples”. The term "imperial potentate” was used by both groups to refer to their leader. This paper suggests that the Rhetorical Skills of the Past Imperial Potentate Caesar Blake had a Big Role in Winning the Legal Tussle with the White Shriners. The paper also looks into the issue of administration of the Black Masonic Society and comes to the conclusion that the success of the same during the early 20th Century can also be partially attributed to the rhetorical skills of their leader ( Shriners home page). However, the paper is of the opinion that there were many other factors that led to the success of the Black Shriners. It is also imperative to consider the fact that other side of the legal battle had skilled orators too. The paper therefore concludes that rhetoric is not enough to win a cause. Action must support the rhetorical skills for any cause to succeed Historical background Jubilee Day Both Masonic groups coexisted harmoniously, in some cases in the same cities with each carrying its activities without the other’s interference for at least twenty years. However, the harmony between them broke with the White masons claiming that the Black masons had imitated their name, emblems, regalia and titles. The discontent within the White group culminated into a lawsuit in 1914 by a White Georgia Mason’s lodge which sought for orders to restrain the Black Masons from using the same. A similar lawsuit was raised in Arkansas. The matter reached the United States Supreme Court when a White Mason group in Houston sued its local Black Masons in the area in 1918 (Caravan). The case then expanded to include all Shriner groups in the United States. This legal tussle lasted a whole decade and only ended with the June 3, 1929 landmark Supreme ruling that came to a conclusion that though the Ancient Egyptian Arabic Order of the Mystic Shrine was formed out of imitating the White Shriners, the latter did not take any legal actions against the former for years even though it had known of the Black Shriner’s existence for years. Evidence raised by the defense showed that even trade had taken place between the two societies. The ruling overturned any earlier decisions by lower courts. The White Shriners were order to pay for the cost of litigation and the Black Shriners were free to use the Masonic symbols. The decision was the biggest victory ever for the black Shriners and is celebrated annually on the Sunday closest to June 3. It is this day that the black Shriners call the Jubilee Day Past Imperial Potentate Caesar Blake, Jr. Past Imperial Potentate Caesar Blake, Jr. took over the reigns of the AEAONMS with his election to the post of Imperial Potentate in August 19 in the Black Shriner’s convention held at Rhodes. The attendants unanimously voted Blake in. With the election, Blake was faced with a myriad of problems as the leader of the society as a legal lawsuit had been made against it in the Supreme Court. Internal divisions on how to tackle the issue and financial constrains caused by many years of litigation were other problems that Blake had to tackle. It is only after his appointment that he realized the enormity of the task before him which many would rather have watched from the periphery. Blake immediately began tackling these problems the best way he knew how- in writing. He wrote continuously to the members of the society, to the clerks of courts to the complainants. He never failed to respond to a letter and always did so within the shortest time possible. He also gave powerful speeches. His writings had a big effect on the bearing of the case and also on the effectiveness of his administration. Though a powerful speaker, the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine had members and leaders with oratory skills that could match his. The Imperial Potentate to this society, Mr. Leo Longworth and the treasurer, Mr. J.C. Burger were renowned orators able to rally their members solidly behind them. The situation was made worse that the White Shriners had much higher numbers than their Black counterparts and that they had the support of the mass media with a white paper, the Atlanta Journal, going as far as expressing the opinion that that the ruling of the supreme court did not affect the situation in Georgia. Analysis & Interpretation One of the most effective speeches that Blake made was when the Supreme Court Clerk deliberately delayed a letter of summons for their case and delivered it within a week to the deadline. While ensuring that the letter was answered immediately, Blake called a meeting of the society’s members and encouraged them to soldier on despite the fact that their adversaries were using uncouth means in the litigation. He passionately called for the unity Black Shriners urging them to stand tall against their adversaries and assuring them that the problems they faced would lead them to victory one way or the other. It is important to note that while using his oratory skills to foster unity within the society, he took the initiative of correcting the anomaly created by the lateness by ensuring that the reply letter was delivered on time. He did not solely rely on rhetoric to achieve his means. The Past Imperial Potentate also gave another mass moving speech when Abdul Hamid Suleiman, a mason from Sudan which was then considered part of Egypt, questioned his (Blake’s) right to be the imperial Potentate claiming that he (Suleiman) was more fit to lead a society of Black Masons claiming that the Masons ought to be Islam and citing his long Islamic achievements. Blake gave another moving speech that articulated the society’s ideals and what they believed in and was able to avert any possible Schism in the Ancient Egyptian Arabic Order. In the speech he beseeched the Black Masons to remain true to their cause and to have faith in their beliefs and abilities. When tackling the issue of elections which in the constitution as found by Blake when he took office, he gave another historical speech in which he outlined the dangers of the system and offered an alternative. His eloquence averted the discontent from the change of some members who wanted the status quo maintained. The Imperial Pontate gave other equally motivating speeches and wrote literature that gave his tenure the luster it retains up to today. Conclusion As the cliche goes- the pen is mightier than the sword. The saying could not have greater effect than on the life and activities of Past Imperial Potentate Caesar Blake, Jr. Using his literary skills, Past Imperial Potentate Caesar Blake, Jr. was able to win an impossible legal battle spanning over years. He was also able to grow the society by a huge magnitude within his tenure. His undying spirit, effective administration skills, his ability to tackle internal libel also proved invaluable in the legal battle and also in maintaining the Black shiners as a united group (Alexander). The imperial Potentate has also been credited with having the character to stand his ground when he was convinced that he was right. His oratory skills were no less superior. The powerful speeches that he gave ensured that the masses rallied behind him. With his people’s support, winning was much easier. The Imperial Potentate’s case is not unique though. Many activities over history have used their rhetorical might, be it in literary or oratory skills to advance their cause. Many activists are gifted orators whose words have the ability to stir the hearts of the masses( the Caravan). Those who use the print media to air their cause have similar effects. Their words which almost always call for struggle never go unheeded. Achievement from collective efforts is more often than not accorded to the leader as it is he who comes up with the strategy and manages to keep the spirit of the struggle on. It therefore follows that the Imperial Potentate received the lion’s share of the praise for the achievements of his society. Every activist who wishes to achieve their cause must come up with a way of moving the masses. This can only be done by building their rhetorical abilities. With a large number of people who believe in their cause, they can achieve the impossible. References: Shriners of North America. A Short History: Shriners of North America and Shriners Hospitals. September 2004 edition. pp. 3–4. Home page. Shriners International. Retrieved on March 12, 2010. Booker T. Alexander, Jubilee Day, The Pyramid Second Qtr, Vol. 29 issue 16, 1971,pp.4-5 The Caravan Volume 1 No. 10 pp 4-4 History of Rameses Temple No. 51 Read More