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Robert F. Kennedy's The Mindless Menace Of Violence

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Following the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Robert F. Kennedy, a New York senator at the time, delivered a speech to the Cleveland City Club, lamenting the prejudice and hatred that killed Dr. King. In his speech, Kennedy appeals to ethos, utilizes metaphors, and employs 3rd person point of view to advance his purpose of how American society fosters prejudice and how, as a nation, they must change their ways to see any significant changes. Ethos plays a unique role in The Mindless “Menace of Violence”. Although it is prevalent in the essay, it’s most important components are never outrightly stated; rather it is understood through background knowledge and analysis. If the Kennedy name were to call to mind anyone in …show more content…

Kennedy aimed to get at most in his speech was the idea of unity; in writing “The Mindless Menace of Violence”, RFK’s audience movement was to take American’s away from the idea that differences were faults, and that deviating from the “ideal race” was dangerous and to be punished. By using 1st person, 1st person plural, and 2nd person, he creates a sense of “us” rather than a sense of “them”. In paragraph one, he uses both 2nd person and 1st person plural in one sentence, “I have saved this one opportunity to speak briefly to you about this mindless menace of violence in America which again stains our land and every one of our lives.” By beginning with 2nd person, RFK separates himself from the American public, establishing himself as the one to deliver the wake up call for change, and then reconnects himself to the audience by switching to 1st person plural and showing that senseless violence must be addressed by all Americans to form any real change. Paragraph 11 also houses a significant change in point of view: “When you teach a man to hate and fear his brother, when you teach that he is a lesser man because of his color or his beliefs or the policies he pursues[.]”. Kennedy uses “you” to represent American society; particularly those who promote inequality and prejudice. This point of view also connects to his purpose that hatred is so often taught in American culture. In paragraph 12, RFK again switches back into 1st person plural, going on to

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John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963, leaving his Vice President, Lyndon B. Johnson, in charge of a hopeless and disbanded country. Shortly after he was sworn in, Johnson attempted to ease those emotions in his speech, "Let Us Continue." In his speech, "Let Us Continue," Johnson's purpose is to persuade his audience that the country needs to be united again in order to move on and to ease the hopelessness and emotional tension after Kennedy's assassination. Johnson first addresses his audience, and then starts out with the usage of an antithesis, stating that "The greatest leader of our time has been struck down by the foulest deed of our time," creating an empathetic mood in order to soothe the emotional tension within the audience.

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By using we, us and our he includes everyone and unifies the citizens of the United States and the world. Kennedy says “Let the word go forth from this time and place, to friend and foe alike, that the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans -- born in this century, tempered by war, disciplined by a hard and bitter peace, proud of our ancient heritage, and unwilling to witness or permit the slow undoing of those human rights to which this nation has always been committed...” He is saying that the old generation had passed their ideas on to the new generation who are willing to sacrifice so that their rights are not taken from them. By saying “friend and foe alike” he is bringing everyone together and not letting them be different just because they are a friend or a foe. Additionally by describing traits of all the Americans, he unifies the citizens of America because all were tempered by war and proud of their heritage so it allows citizens to bond of common history.

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I Have a Dream’s Rhetoric A momentous day in history is exalted by the enthralling speech and resonating imagery of a man whom wanted to make a difference. Just over 100 years after the Emancipation Proclamation was implemented, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered a very riveting speech to over 250,000 Americans during the March on Washington, the nation’s largest demonstration of peaceful protest. With peace typically comes logic of which King very much emanated from his speech. With powerful rhetoric, King captivated an entire crowd and subsequently the entire nation with emphasizing while being freed from the travesty that was slavery people of color are still placed in chains by society’s gruesome yet commonplace demarcations.

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The Civil Rights Movement was a mass popular movement to secure African Americans equal access to opportunities for basic privileges and rights of U.S. citizenship.1 In 1963, a crisis occurred at the University of Alabama as two African American students were turned down from admissions although they were formally certified. The Civil Rights Address,2 presented by former president John F. Kennedy, was given in the Oval Office on June 11, 1963, shortly after this crisis was dragged out. Kennedy delivered this speech on both radio and television, so his message would extend to not only the citizens of America, but also other nations around the world. Kennedy addresses the reoccurring issues regarding race equality in the United States, and hopes to change the mindset of the American community in respect to these issues. In his Civil Rights Address, John F. Kennedy uses rhetorical appeals to convey that there must be a change regarding equality in America.

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Also, he is stating to never be afraid and figure out ways to face them. By doing this, Kennedy left a greater impact on people by making his speech more

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Kennedy starts off by telling us how the world and freedom is in major danger, being close to a nuclear war, telling us that it has the power to end the human species (3). The next point made is that we should “... never negotiate out of fear. But let us never fear to negotiate” (Kennedy 15). This means that we should negotiate to make a means with that someone not because we have to negotiate to stay safe from that someone. Kennedy then says that the goal would to have the world work together to explore problems, have a common arm control and be equal in weaponry power, and work together to unlock new sciences (16-18).

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In paragraph 4, Robert F. Kennedy states, “I had a member of my family killed, but he was killed by a white man.” This is an allusion to the assassination of his brother John F. Kennedy in 1963 by Lee Harvey Oswald, a white man. Robert Kennedy uses this allusion in showing that he has personally experienced what the audience is feeling at the

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John F. Kennedy discusses and analyzes on how the nation differs from the past and present day in that time period. Kennedy narrators on the division and war in the the world to appeal to the audience patriotism by using pathos and logos. In this speech President Kennedy states “to thoses who would make themselves our adversary, we offer not a pledge but a request; that both sides begin the quest for peace, before the dark power of destruction unleashed.” He uses this quote to obtain a logical appeal to the appeal to the people. Kennedy uses logos to show that he wants the nation to come together and be humble together in one peace.

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Kennedy often sets himself equal to his audience, as if saying that he is no better than anybody else, gaining their respect and support. For example in Kennedy’s inaugural speech, he states, “ United there is little we cannot do in a host of cooperative ventures.” In this Kennedy is placing himself in the same category as his audience and saying that he needs them, just as much as they need him. Another example of Kennedy setting himself equal to his audience is, “ In your hands, my fellow citizens, more than mine, will rest the final success or failure of our course.” In this statement, John F. Kennedy is saying that the people of America, united, have more power than him.

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His diction is very inclusive; he commences his speech with several uses of the words ‘we’ and ‘our’, which makes way for inclusivity. JFK is blurring the distinction between citizen and superior governor by including the people in his proclamation. While describing the hardships and challenges that the country is facing, Kennedy mentions how imperative the occasion is on a global level; in the midst of the Cold War, he reminds his audience of the importance of uniting. Through the use of the lexical field of danger — words such as: ‘defiance’, ‘serious’, ‘risk’, and ‘sacrifice’ — he creates a feeling of tension and urgency, and engages his audience to the concern. To conclude his speech, the President mentions self-guilt on the part of the country on how they had not displayed the “sense of business responsibility” that they should have, a rhetorical strategy that approximates the audience to the government.

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504 Words | 3 Pages

Throughout the speech, RFK refers to everyone as, “we”. He doesn’t separate himself, he considers himself an equal to his audience as a more friendly and inviting way to speak. Throughout RFK’s speech, he communicates that he is 100% with the audience. RFK doesn’t let MLK’s visions and ideologies die with him. Robert said,”Martin

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963 Words | 4 Pages

On August 28, 1963 Martin Luther King Jr. delivered a famous speech during the March on Washington for Jobs and freedom, this speech was called “I have a dream.” This speech was focused on ending racism and equal rights for African Americans during the civil rights movement. He displays a great amount of pathos, logos, and ethos in his speech. Martin Luther King Jr. displays pathos by targeting the audience’s emotion by talking about his American dream that could also be other peoples too. He shows logos by giving a sense of hope to the people that better things will come in time.

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442 Words | 2 Pages

In this line, RFK is obviously referring to his brother JFK and implies that he is no stranger to death. The words “white man” show he is addressing the African American community since MLK was killed by a white man, and they were affected the most by MLK’s death. Kennedy’s medium is a speech because it provides a strong sense of intimacy. Kennedy takes advantage of this intimacy, with a direct call to action: “So I ask you tonight to return home, to say a prayer” (35). RFK urged his audience to return home peacefully rather than lash out violently.

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728 Words | 3 Pages

Delivering the speech, Kennedy expressed compassionate and hopeful words to his audience. His view of freedom is something that makes its way through peace and negotiation. Kennedy states, “Let both sides explore what problems unite us instead of belaboring those problems which divide us” (16). This is a perfect example of Kennedy’s meaning towards freedom. He wants all nations to look at the things that join them together and can relate to rather than the things that guide them away from each other.

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Therefore, when you listen to any speech, listen for rhetorical components. Kennedy describes situations and talks to the

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