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John F. Kennedy's Civic Responsibility

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On January 20, 1961, former president John F. Kennedy orated his inaugural address at the United States Capitol. Kennedy’s deliverance highlighted his prospective presidency, enumerating key issues such as: economic expansion, social advancements, and new diplomatic relations. Consequently, it was here, when Kennedy questioned his audience one of the most historically-acclaimed quotes in United States history, “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country”. Kennedy, the youngest president our Nation had ever seen, beautifully defined civic responsibility. Civic responsibility lets the individual discover and internalize their own potential and allows the individual to assist others to do the same. Therefore,
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On a cold day in 1961, John F. Kennedy delivered a speech that will live on in fame, to unite everyone in the world. JFK did not use his close victory as a bragging point or talk about his crowd size, but he expertly crafted his speech to address the crowd in a tone of unity, and hope. His speech features a strong appeal not only to his ethics but our ethics as a country to come together. JFK also displays powerful emotion through his many call to actions to help the country. His implementation of logical arguments are used to convince the audience to take a stand and make a difference.

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Kennedy’s iconic “ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country” demonstrates the rhetorical strategy chiasmus, as well as the long term impact of his speech on

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The first article is inaugural address, January 20, 1961, by John F. Kennedy. The second is an article “Inside Kennedy’s Inauguration, 50 Years On,” writer Eleanor Clift. The last document is a photograph of the swearing-in ceremony “ inauguration of John F. Kennedy by the United States army signal corps. These three documents have a lot of in comment but different story. The first document is about John F. Kennedy making a speech about the humanity and the American people to be strong and while they support each other.

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After having a probable goal which built in the repetition, JFK’s audience now had a path toward it. At the second place, JFK utilized two similar sentences “my fellow...ask not what...do for you...but what...can do for” to encourage Americans to contemplate what they could do for America. Besides let JFK’s words become pleasant to hear, the fluent conversion between two sentences also sublimed its level from person to society, and shifted its topic from America to the freedom

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Roles of the President As the chief executive commander-in-chief, chief diplomat, head of state, legislative leader, economic leader and party leader, the president has an immense amount of responsibility to ensure that the American citizens are given there right there life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Of the multiple responsibilities of the president, for filling the tasks of the commander-in-chief, economic leader, and chief diplomat has a large impact on how the American government is today. President Franklin D Roosevelt, Ronald Reagan, and John F. Kennedy each play a vital role in preventing America from a multitude of problems today. To protect the common good of the American population, the president acts as the commander-in-chief, economic leader, and chief diplomat, ensuring citizens their rights.

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Liberty is held in the high esteem by nearly all Americans; the innate sense of freedom is simply human nature to yearn and fight for. As exemplified in both John F. Kennedy's Inaugural Address and Learned Hand's "I am an American Day Address," the ambiguity of liberty allows for various interpretations, but tends to focus on a few main points. Both men agree that liberty cannot be guaranteed by the state government or the courts, and that fighting is necessary to ensure freedom for all. Kennedy's inaugural speech not only reinforces Hand's stance on the spirit of liberty, but further develops and supports

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President Lyndon Baines Johnson, John F. Kennedy’s former Vice President, had magnificent aspirations concerning the future welfare of the country. At the University of Michigan’s commencement speech, exactly six months after John F. Kennedy’s assassination in Texas, Johnson spoke of his vision of ‘The Great Society.’ The intent of this vision was to transform the state of the U.S. and build a better, tougher, stronger nation that would be a witness to its own substantial progress through its domestic programs. It would be a nation where the whole society was cared for; it would be a nation where segregation and racism ceased to exist; it would be a nation where all were welcomed to come. He understood the undertaking that awaited him in the

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The following rhetorical question from John Fitzgerald Kennedy’s Inaugural address is debatably one of most recognizable quotes in American history. “And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country” (Kennedy). He uses this rhetorical question to end the graciously written speech and leaves the reader pondering the answer with a call to

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Kennedy tells Americans to “ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country,” which would imply that if you are not a loyal patriot giving for the United States, than you are the problem. Chiasmus, the technical name for Kennedy’s literary device in the previous example, is often used to create the sense of opposition that is present throughout his address. Kennedy wants you to know that you can do something because “the Communist may be doing it” or you can do what “is right.” You can help “the success of liberty” or you can oppose “the hand of God.” You can stand with America and “abolish all forms of human poverty [or] all forms of human

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(Week 8, Doc. 25) Then he added later that American’s must “ask what you can do for your country, not what your country can do for you”. (Week 8, Doc. 25) He believed by working together, we could begin to solve the Nations social problems. Kennedy was trying to show American’s that it’s necessary to fight for what’s fair in society, and to help others help themselves in order to prosper. The public felt Kennedy, with his idealism and vigor, would be a good fit for Presidential leadership, and would be effective in reducing the many of America’s domestic problems. After failing to keep some of his campaign promises such as, expanding the welfare state, and health care programs, he acted, after much pressure from civil right activists and pushed Congress by calling for a comprehensive Civil Rights bill.

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John F Kennedy was a level headed, determined and well accomplished person. During his short-lived presidency, he had to take on challenges like no other and did it with sophistication and grace. From conflicts involving other countries, like Vietnam, to the Civil Rights Movement that directly affected our own country, Kennedy continued to take each problem day by day until there was an overall improvement or resolution. It would be safe to say that he is one of the more progressive presidents our country has ever seen. David Burner’s John F. Kennedy and a New Generation was written with the sole purpose of giving an insight into Kennedys upbringing and presidency in an entirely unbiased approach.

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President John F. Kennedy, in his inaugural address uses many rhetorical techniques to persuade his audience that he is credible enough to fulfill the role of being the youngest president of the United States, and to prove to the world that his term would be of change and hope. The main arguments in this essay are a strong appeal to ethics not only his, but ours as a country bonded through common values, and emotional and logical arguments. Kennedy has a call to action that is shown throughout his address. This call to action has a plea to his ethics and morals and to the audiences as well. Furthermore, his use of a logical argument is used with powerful emotions throughout his address that allows this call to action to be effective in unifying the American people.

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I do tell him, but that is just what he believes. It’s not that he dislikes God or anyone who believes in God. His mother and father do, but not him. I was at the hospital recently and they had a chapel so I went in there to pray and the priest happened to show up.

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Have you ever met someone or a group of people that you knew will be your closest friends? When you first talk to these people you knew that you will build an unbreakable bond. My violin is cheerleading. Not just because of the passion I have for that sport, but because of the girls on that team. The girls on this team have got me through hard times.

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“My fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” (Kennedy) John F. Kennedy (JFK) Presidential Inauguration Speech

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