Rhetorical Analysis Of The Oklahoma City Bombing

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The Oklahoma City bombing was a domestic terrorist truck bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, in the United States on April 19, 1995. To comfort the American people and show the families of the people who died that the American people are mourning with them, former President Bill Clinton issued a memorial address. I believe this was necessary and his speech was effective on the grounds that President Clinton was able to create an emotional connection with his audience by ensuring a sense of comfort and giving advice to the many Americans who were astonished by this act of terrorism. Creating an emotional connection with a certain group of people after a traumatic experience is important. …show more content…

He said "you have lost too much (children, husbands, wives, parents, etc), but you have not lost everything. And you have certainly not lost America, for we will stand with you for as many tomorrows as it takes" meaning, that no matter what the American people are mourning along with the victims. This piece of advice help confides in them that although they went through a lot, the grass is always greener on the other side. President Clinton also uses parallelism to make his point bolder. When he is mentioning the evil that scared the humble people of America he gives the advice to overcome this adversity, he says and I quote "they are forces that threaten our common peace, our freedom, our way of life". This is another example of him giving a definite piece of advice to the American people All in all, President Clinton comforted the people of America and provided advice to settle the worried American hearts. He was able to use parallelism and diction to create a sense of security for Americans. He also showed the victims and their families that the American people are supporting them and have their backs. Clinton also used his status as a parent and a husband to create a more emotional connection with his audience making this speech 100%