Rhetorical Analysis Of George Wallace's Speech

In his speech, George Wallace declares, “I shall fulfill my duty toward honesty and economy in our State government so that no man shall have a part of his livelihood cheated and no child shall have a bit of his future stolen away.” This statement is a clear example of demagoguery, a tactic often used by politicians to sway public opinion by appealing to the emotions and prejudices of their audience. Wallace’s words could have significantly influenced certain groups of white people, fully protestant of his audience's religion due to their limited exposure to different histories and cultures. Politicians can sway public opinion by appealing to the concerns and experiences of their audience, especially if those individuals feel unheard of or

. . is gone forever.” This weakness of Wallace's argument is that it relies on a deep emotional appeal rather than factual evidence or logical reasoning and is detailed where it is proven. It doesn't provide a rational basis for why amalgamation would necessarily lead to the loss of freedoms or the enrichment of lives, which is essential for a reasoned debate. However, Wallace fails to provide one to identify a logical fallacy known as the slippery slope that can be confused and needs to be made clear. This fallacy occurs when a speaker argues that a relatively small first step leads to a chain of related events culminating in some significant, usually negative effect, but nothing to respect or humble language, without sufficient evidence to support the inevitable chain of events. his audience, rather than their reason. He appeals to his audience's emotions rather than their reason, playing on their fears of change and the unknown to sway their opinions and garner support for his political agenda. While this tactic may be effective in the short term, it can undermine reasoned debate and lead to decisions based on fear rather than facts. This made his audience feel threatened by integration with other people and the Northern