Jfk Speech Response

432 Words2 Pages

Kennedy Speech Response On September 12, 1960, Democratic presidential nominee John F. Kennedy gave his most vital speech in Texas during his presidential campaign to an audience full of skeptics of his candidacy because of Catholicism. In his speech, Kennedy using pathos, ethos, and logos to persuade the audience into judging him based on his merit. Pulling from American ideals and using personal experiences, Kennedy argued against religious intolerance and advocated for the absolute notion of the separation of the church and state. In his speech, Kennedy pulled from his American ideals and personal experiences. He stated, “This is the kind of America I believe in, and this is the kind I fought for in the South Pacific, and the kind my brother …show more content…

He told the audience that religious view are his own private affair (para. 8). Kennedy also stated “I believe in an America where religious intolerance will someday end”. These quotes help comfort the audience and call for unity among Americans. Kennedy also advocated for the separation of the church and state. Kennedy stated, “I believe in an America where the separation of church and state is absolute” (para. 3). This statement showed the audience that he was not a puppet of the pope, and didn’t want to be controlled by the church. This statement helped disprove the stereotype that Catholics only obey the pope. Kennedy told Americans that he had the same ideals as them and is “the Democratic Party's Candidate for president, how happens also to be a Catholic” (para. 13). The speech given helped Kennedy express his views on religion in America and how he believed in the absolutism of religious freedom and the separation of the church and state. He used pathos to gain the audience's hearts, ethos to relate with them, and logos to show his creditibly as a presidential candidate. Kennedy showed Americans he was not what the stereotypes labeled him as, and ask the the citizens to judge him on his merit rather then his religious