Topic > Rhetorical Analysis of Obama's Speech on "A More Perfect Union"

Since the 16th century, when North America was colonized by the French and British, various examples of colonialism, racism, and mass killings of Native North American citizens. Until now there has been discrimination of people because of skin color or differences in cultural background dominated by the white settler lineage. In 1787 there was the signing of the document “The Constitution of the United States” which according to Obama (2008) “launched the unlikely American experiment in democracy”. The man in the name of Barack Hussein Obama, on March 18, 2008, when he was an African-American senator from Illinois, gave a speech entitled “A More Perfect Union”. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essayThrough the use of valid historical and social arguments, showing strong emotions and various personal experiences related to people who were familiar with the prejudice of Racial and social challenges in the United States In his speech Obama attracted great attention from the average. In his speech, Obama presented his justification and argument centered on the impending election of a president, based on historical issues, ethnic educational challenges, and current economic conditions in the United States. It was seen as an issue that could lower his level in the presidential candidate by giving Jeremiah Wright a good support when the issue he presented was about how the African American is going through different challenges in the society. To influence his audience, Obama used Aristotle's rhetorical principles of pathos, ethos, and logos to present social problems (Kristin, week 43). By combining the most recognized influential and persuasive rhetorical techniques written by Aristotle himself, and by stating and recontextualizing significant social challenges, Barack Obama's speech was successful. DiscussionObama's speech opens with a quote that states: "We the people, to form a 'the most perfect union'. At this point he captures the trust and attention of his people by establishing himself at the same level as the public without placing himself below or above them. Demonstrating that forming a perfect union is not possible, but that is more perfect, Obama presents his perspective on the current thinking on the constitution. Obama indicates that this is the time to be realistic by presenting a critical vision of the creation of ideas of perfect union in Obama's speech. He continues by addressing the racial issues that still have a huge effect on the modern lives of African Americans. In 1787, several white leaders first signed the constitutional document and then were tainted by the nation's slave history. During that era, the United States was divided into two, North and South, centered on different values, which later led to the Civil War of 1865. It was not until the late 1860s that national law abolished slavery . However, the strong racism against people who differ in social background or more precisely in skin color could be put to an end, and miserably the action continues to this day. In his speech, Obama states that “To understand this reality it is necessary to remember how we got to this point. As William Faulkner once wrote: “The past is not dead and buried. In fact, it hasn't even passed.'” He talks about “Jim Crow laws” that were developed in the 1890s to divide blacks from whites. A new chapter on the racial debate in the United States began after this law formed the term “separate but equal” (Jim Crow laws). These laws were.