Rhetorical Techniques Used In Jesse Jackson's Speech

Jesse Jackson was the first black Democratic presidential nominee to ever run for office. His speech in Atlanta, Georgia spoke to many with each word full of heart. Jackson's speech is legendary with the use of rhetorical appeals, reaching out to multiple audiences, and the repetition of sentences and words. Jackson uses rhetorical appeals to relate and persuade the audience through facts, emotion, and credibility. Jackson places logical appeal in his speech to capture the reader’s eyes by explaining how just one intersection, in one village (Jerusalem), brought different people together. Even though people were dissimilar towards each other, and had unalike cultures; three religions that still stand in modern day were created all because of this one little intersection, Jerusalem. Jackson uses this logical appeal through facts in the past to show that we are all different, but at the same time, we’re all together. Even though we are all living in our own room, Jackson emphasis that we are all Americans. Jackson also uses two rhetorical appeals at the same time, ethical and emotional appeal. Jackson describes the need for civility, and the rage of anger all the way from workers with unfair wages to the discrimination of gays and lesbians. Jackson says on page 370

Farmers, students, workers, blacks and Hispanics, gays and lesbians, America must find common ground according to Jackson's speech. He says in his first paragraph “We meet at a crossroads, a point of decision.” “We” in that sentence is the ones in America that are in despair, the ones that are truly hurting. Jackson isn’t just talking to the unfortunate people, but also towards the democratic delegates to receive their votes. On page 370, he says “Now, Democrats… quilt.” Overall what Jackson is saying to the Democratic delegates is a call for fairness, a call for equality from the Pacific to the