Elijah Lay Mrs. Wagner US HIST 1102 Apr 28, 2023 3 Analysis of JFK Inaugural Address The Election of 1960 was full of firsts, the presidential debates of the election of 1960 were the first to be televised and broadcasted to national television. The election was also one of the closest in American history since 1916. During the election, the tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union were reaching a climax, and America needed a strong president. Ironically, Kennedy was not viewed by the public as such a candidate. Many Americans viewed Kennedy as inexperienced because of his youth. However, Kennedy’s youth would be a pivotal factor in transforming the 1960s into a “New Frontier”. On a bitterly cold January day, JFK delivered …show more content…
JFK presents this idea by developing ideas like freedom all across his address. “The rights of man come not from the generosity of the state, but from the hand of God.” JFK believes that the individual freedoms of man are not supposed to be touched by and are not created by the government. Through this statement JFK is affirming that the protection of these individual rights should be a keystone to America. “The same revolutionary beliefs for which our forebears fought are still at issue around the globe” Kennedy furthers the affirmation that individual rights should be protected by referencing the founding fathers who had constructed the United States government around the idea of individualized rights. While making this reference he states that individual rights is still something that people around the world still have to fight for. “Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty.” JFK includes this to show that America is willing to fight for individualized rights and freedoms. He believes that individualized rights are so important that they are worth “bearing any burden” and are worth “[opposing] any …show more content…
“We pledge our best efforts to help them [other nations] help themselves, for whatever period is required, not because the Communists may be doing it, not because we seek their votes, but because it is right.” The purpose for JFK adding that it should be the responsibility of the United States to promote peace and democracy is because he believes that it is essential to use the power that the United States has to promote good well being all around the world. The argument is presented in the inaugural address by JFK saying that America is willing to “Support any friends” and “meet any hardship" to protect the individual rights of people everywhere. By pledging that, it makes it apparent how important it was to JFK that it is the responsibility of the United States to be the protector of those