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  • Essay / Slavery and Racism Dominated African American Independence

    On March 18, 2008, Barack Obama delivered a political speech titled “A More Perfect Union” at the National Constitutional Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This speech left a significant impact on the natives and on American history. This speech was given by Obama before becoming President of the United States. Obama gave this speech in response to the controversial speech given by his former pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright. Wright criticized the US government and said the US government was racist. He made a statement that misrepresented the greatness and goodness of America. Obama's speech mainly focused on racism and unity. Obama addressed both white Americans and African Americans in his speech. So that they can understand each other and come together to make America a better country where people are not judged on the basis of their gender, race and caste. In America, African Americans were not allowed to enjoy their freedom, which was unfair because under constitutional law, every citizen has the same right to enjoy their freedom and justice. The reason behind this unjust behavior was racism and slavery. He begins his speech by saying "we the people, to form a more perfect union" (Obama 613) and to try to unite all the citizens of America. Additionally, he talks about the law passed two hundred and twenty-one years ago that granted freedom to African American farmers, scholars, statesmen, and patriots. But this law never came into effect because of slavery. Obama's entire speech was structured to address all citizens: say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay on America directly or indirectly. He tried to connect the problems of African and white Americans. Obama says of Rev. Wright that everything he said is wrong because he only showed the negative side of America but ignored the positives. But he tried to defend him by saying he was speaking badly about America because of his past experiences. Thus, Obama structured America's racial history, its upbringing, and its own perspective in such a way that his speech strongly appealed to his audience that racism can no longer be ignored and that they must come together to solve this problem. Rhetorical strategy is defined as "modes or techniques that help the writer organize evidence, connect facts in sequence, and provide clusters of information necessary to convey a goal or argument." Obama effectively used rhetorical strategies to convey his message of unity and non-racism in his speech. He used rhetorical devices like allusion, enumeration, analogy and repetition to make his speech more attractive and grab the attention of his audience. Therefore, I believe that with the help of rhetorical strategies, Obama structured his speech in a way that helped him gain the support of his audience and I will prove this later in my paragraphs. Using the rhetorical strategy of unity and allusion, Obama tried to grab the attention of his audience. To be clearer, consider Obama's statement: "we the people, to form a more perfect union." » (316) By saying this, he makes it clear that his audience was both white and African American. After hearing this statement, people consciously or unconsciously connected with his speech. Additionally, Obama appeals to citizens to unite and fight againstracism and slavery. So that every person living in America can enjoy their right to liberty and justice, regardless of color, caste and creed. Obama tells his own story that he is the son of a black man from Kenya and a white woman from Kansas. He had been raised by a white grandfather and grandmother. Obama attended one of the best schools in America. He married a black American who has slavery in his blood and is inherited from his daughters. He has a brother, sister, nieces, nephews, uncles and cousins ​​of all races. Obama tried to convince his audience by saying that despite all the racial and caste differences, they are still one. They belong to the same country and declared that "among many, we are truly one." (614). Obama believes that racism is not only present between people of two different colors, but he has also faced racism from people in his own community. Obama talks about his first book "Dreams From My Father" (616) and why he was disappointed with the reaction it received from people? Instead of getting up from the seats, clapping and crying. He expected black people to tell their stories along with those of David and Goliath, Moses and Pharaoh, the Christians in the loin den and Ezekiel's field of dry bones. He expected them to understand the pain and loss racism has caused them. People should come together not only to fight racism, but also to solve other problems related to education, health and employment. To motivate his audience, Obama spoke about the "damage that began with the Constitution and candidly recounted our nation's historic path that was paved with a brutal chain of institutionalized racial injustice: slavery, Jim Crow, segregated schools, legalized discrimination, the erosion of black families. due to the lack of economic opportunities and the resulting cycle of violence and neglect. » (461 Isaksen, Judy L). Obama believes that by working together, they can not only end racial discrimination and the losses it has caused them, but also move forward toward a better future and a more perfect union. Not only will they get justice, but they will also get better health care, better schools, and better jobs. I even think that if Americans work in unity, they will surely be able to heal the wounds caused by slavery and racism. They will be able to provide a better life for their children and make them capable of fighting against injustice in their lives. It can also inspire others to come out of the cage of slavery and enjoy their lives. As I mentioned earlier, Obama gave this speech in response to controversial statements by Rev. Jeremiah Wright. Obama used a rhetorical strategy to defend Wright. Wright made a statement "God Bless America-God Damn America" ​​(461 Isaksen, Judy L) and said the US government was racist. Wright's speech went viral and was picked up by all major media outlets. according to Obama, Wright's speech encouraged racial injustice and widened the gap between whites and African Americans. Wright has perverted the image of America by revealing the negative and ignoring the positive. Using rhetorical questions, he attempted to answer questions from voters and the media. For example: “Did I know him to be at times a fierce critic of American domestic and foreign policy? Of course. Have I ever heard him make any remarks that could be considered controversial then.