In 1986 President Reagan gave a speech over the radio to address the nation on terrorism. The speech starts of as, “My fellow Americans: History is likely to record that 1986 was the year when the world, at long last, came to grips with the plague of terrorism. For too long, the world was paralyzed by the argument that terrorism could not be stopped until the grievances of terrorists were addressed. The complicated and heartrending issues that perplex mankind are no excuse for violent, inhumane attacks, nor do they excuse not taking aggressive action against those who deliberately slaughter innocent people”1 Here we notice the term “plague” being used as a modifier to define terrorism. The President wants to clarify that terrorism is an epidemic and if it is not stopped now than it can spread all over the globe. Than he goes on to say that in order to stop terrorism it must be acknowledge, which is what a terrorist group wants! Terrorism is pointless unless there is an audience. Than finally he labels the terrorist or the actions of terrorism as violent and inhumane. Trying to get the American people to see that they are not human and therefore any action against them should …show more content…
The President points out clearly that if the terrorist were truly freedom fighters they would not be attacking women and children. Also these terrorist seem to only enjoy a dictatorial regimes, and are enemies of democracy. During Reagan’s era he was still facing the Soviet Union and trying to keep communism out of the west. This speech seems to show that he fears that regimes like the Soviet Union may be using terrorist groups to help overthrow democratic ones and replace with communist ones. By reviewing this speech one can simple note that to be a terrorist was to be a communist in Reagan point of view? This is just another explain oh how words are bent and used in order to justify our