Segregation Now Segregation All Speech Analysis
Demagoguery is a powerful way for individuals to recruit people for power and personal gains. Two people who are perfect examples of that are Governor George Wallace and Islamic State (ISIS) leader Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi. The “Segregation Now, Segregation Forever” speech by Governor George Wallace and the “A message to the Mujahidin and the Muslim Ummah” speech by Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi are speeches both leaders use to recruit new people towards their cause, as well as motivate the followers they already have. Governor Wallace talks on a national level to Southern people who are for segregation. His main cause is to keep the Federal government from integrating black and white people together. Al-Baghdadi talks to all Muslims on an international
…show more content…
level for fighting for the one true god in Allah. Baghdadi‘s main cause is to fight anyone and everyone who is interfering with ISIS. In these speeches, both leaders use Victimization so their groups see how much they have been oppressed and abused by the out-group. Apocalyptic, eschatological metanarrative is also used throughout both speeches to show their audiences that their opposition if fighting against them and what their god stands for.
Victimization can be a powerful tool in demagoguery to show a group just how much damage has been done to them in the past. Governor Wallace does this well by reminding the Southerners of the after math from the Civil War. “Our people faced a desolate land of burned universities, destroyed crops and homes….” (Wallace 5). This strategy is effective in multiple ways. It reminds the south how they were treated by the federal government. He captures the southern peoples hate for the federal government because of how bad the south was oppressed and neglected during and after the Civil War. This strategy also gives the south a sense of pride. Reminding them that after all that was done to the south, it has survived to produce some of the “greatest fighting breed of man” (Wallace 6). As ISIS leader, Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi has named himself the one rightful leader of all Muslims. He also uses victimization in his speech show Muslims that he is willing to fight and undo all of the injustice done to them. “But terrorism does not include the killing of Muslims in Burma and the burning of their homes.” (Baghdadi 3). Al-Baghdadi is proving to the Muslims that they are being held to a double standard in the sense of the word terrorism. Countries are claiming terrorism for Baghdadi’s retaliation to what he says has been happening to the Muslims for the past decade. The Muslim community can really rally behind Baghdadi for wanting to defend what is happening to their people.
Religion is a powerful tool that people especially governments can use to try and control groups of people. When Governor Wallace breaks down how the federal government is attempting to substitute peoples fear for god for fear of government, he is using apocalyptic strategy. The people in the south already see this with laws passed on who they can sell their houses to or who goes to what school. “Then this government must assume more and more police powers and we find we are become government-fearing people…not God-fearing people.” (Wallace 3). Using religion is smart because southern people are very strong when it comes to the Christian faith. Wallace captures their love and faith for god and uses it against the government.
Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi uses an apocalyptic strategy, but states that Allah is the only rightful god. He uses verses in the Quran (Islamic sacred book) to manipulate Muslims to follow his cause during Ramadan. “{O you who have believed, fear Allah as he should be feared and do not die except as Muslims} [Al’ Imran: 102]” (Baghdadi 2). This is effective because it unites Muslims during a time of war and hardship. Especially for his soldiers who are fighting for his cause. Using Allah and the verses from the Quran, gives the Muslims soldiers a sense of confirmation that what they are doing is right. There is nothing more dangerous than a man, woman, or child fighting for something they truly believe will bring them eternal happiness. Allah is the one who can make them sacrifice their lives.
Governor Wallace’s speech not only motivates the supporters he has now, but he also tries to recruit people throughout the nation. The confusing part is that he invites African-Americans to work with his community. His whole speech is about how much better the nation would be if people just stayed segregated. If black and whites are to be segregated, how can they work together? This is a question many of his followers have to ask. Wallace gained their support by fighting for something they felt passionate about. This weakens his connection with his supporters for the fact that it is not true segregation if they work together to help each other.
Al-Baghdadi also uses his speech to recruit soldiers to fight for his cause. “It is a state where the Arab and non-Arab, the white man and the black man, the easterner and the westerner are all brothers”. (Baghdadi 4). Muslim people should start to question what the true cause Al-Baghdadi seeks in this war. Why invite people around the country if they come from the same groups that are trying to destroy the Muslim religion.
Wallace and Baghdadi are two powerful Demagogues who use religion and victimization to effectively manipulate their audience into fighting for his cause.
If you read their speeches and not have any context on what they are talking about then you might be inclined to support them. If you read closely you will see that each speech has its own flaw in making the their argument fallacious. They both used the form of stacking the deck. Wallace uses it by talking about all the damage that was done to the south during the Civil War. He victimizes the South even though the real purpose of the war was to free the African-Americans from slavery. Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi also stacks the deck for his cause by using victimization to show how much damage has been done to the Muslims. But these attacks brought to the Muslims are ones that Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi has provoked through his hunger for power.
I feel that both of these speeches had to use demagoguery to connect with their audience. Without it there would be no way to bring out emotions for people to believe into their argument. They were both smart to use religion in there speech because it was something they knew there audience held high above all. I also believe that these speeches do a good job on challenging the true motives of the out-group. They bring up valid claims that should show how evil the opposition can
be.
Work Cited:
Wallace, George. Inaugural Address The “Segregation Now, Segregation Forever” speech
"Notes on Fallacies & the Evaluation of Argument." Handout. San Diego State University RWS. San Diego. n.d. Print
Roberts-Miller, Patricia. "Characteristics of Demagoguery." Handout. San Diego State University RWS. San Diego. n.d. Print.
level for fighting for the one true god in Allah. Baghdadi‘s main cause is to fight anyone and everyone who is interfering with ISIS. In these speeches, both leaders use Victimization so their groups see how much they have been oppressed and abused by the out-group. Apocalyptic, eschatological metanarrative is also used throughout both speeches to show their audiences that their opposition if fighting against them and what their god stands for.
Victimization can be a powerful tool in demagoguery to show a group just how much damage has been done to them in the past. Governor Wallace does this well by reminding the Southerners of the after math from the Civil War. “Our people faced a desolate land of burned universities, destroyed crops and homes….” (Wallace 5). This strategy is effective in multiple ways. It reminds the south how they were treated by the federal government. He captures the southern peoples hate for the federal government because of how bad the south was oppressed and neglected during and after the Civil War. This strategy also gives the south a sense of pride. Reminding them that after all that was done to the south, it has survived to produce some of the “greatest fighting breed of man” (Wallace 6). As ISIS leader, Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi has named himself the one rightful leader of all Muslims. He also uses victimization in his speech show Muslims that he is willing to fight and undo all of the injustice done to them. “But terrorism does not include the killing of Muslims in Burma and the burning of their homes.” (Baghdadi 3). Al-Baghdadi is proving to the Muslims that they are being held to a double standard in the sense of the word terrorism. Countries are claiming terrorism for Baghdadi’s retaliation to what he says has been happening to the Muslims for the past decade. The Muslim community can really rally behind Baghdadi for wanting to defend what is happening to their people.
Religion is a powerful tool that people especially governments can use to try and control groups of people. When Governor Wallace breaks down how the federal government is attempting to substitute peoples fear for god for fear of government, he is using apocalyptic strategy. The people in the south already see this with laws passed on who they can sell their houses to or who goes to what school. “Then this government must assume more and more police powers and we find we are become government-fearing people…not God-fearing people.” (Wallace 3). Using religion is smart because southern people are very strong when it comes to the Christian faith. Wallace captures their love and faith for god and uses it against the government.
Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi uses an apocalyptic strategy, but states that Allah is the only rightful god. He uses verses in the Quran (Islamic sacred book) to manipulate Muslims to follow his cause during Ramadan. “{O you who have believed, fear Allah as he should be feared and do not die except as Muslims} [Al’ Imran: 102]” (Baghdadi 2). This is effective because it unites Muslims during a time of war and hardship. Especially for his soldiers who are fighting for his cause. Using Allah and the verses from the Quran, gives the Muslims soldiers a sense of confirmation that what they are doing is right. There is nothing more dangerous than a man, woman, or child fighting for something they truly believe will bring them eternal happiness. Allah is the one who can make them sacrifice their lives.
Governor Wallace’s speech not only motivates the supporters he has now, but he also tries to recruit people throughout the nation. The confusing part is that he invites African-Americans to work with his community. His whole speech is about how much better the nation would be if people just stayed segregated. If black and whites are to be segregated, how can they work together? This is a question many of his followers have to ask. Wallace gained their support by fighting for something they felt passionate about. This weakens his connection with his supporters for the fact that it is not true segregation if they work together to help each other.
Al-Baghdadi also uses his speech to recruit soldiers to fight for his cause. “It is a state where the Arab and non-Arab, the white man and the black man, the easterner and the westerner are all brothers”. (Baghdadi 4). Muslim people should start to question what the true cause Al-Baghdadi seeks in this war. Why invite people around the country if they come from the same groups that are trying to destroy the Muslim religion.
Wallace and Baghdadi are two powerful Demagogues who use religion and victimization to effectively manipulate their audience into fighting for his cause.
If you read their speeches and not have any context on what they are talking about then you might be inclined to support them. If you read closely you will see that each speech has its own flaw in making the their argument fallacious. They both used the form of stacking the deck. Wallace uses it by talking about all the damage that was done to the south during the Civil War. He victimizes the South even though the real purpose of the war was to free the African-Americans from slavery. Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi also stacks the deck for his cause by using victimization to show how much damage has been done to the Muslims. But these attacks brought to the Muslims are ones that Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi has provoked through his hunger for power.
I feel that both of these speeches had to use demagoguery to connect with their audience. Without it there would be no way to bring out emotions for people to believe into their argument. They were both smart to use religion in there speech because it was something they knew there audience held high above all. I also believe that these speeches do a good job on challenging the true motives of the out-group. They bring up valid claims that should show how evil the opposition can
be.
Work Cited:
Wallace, George. Inaugural Address The “Segregation Now, Segregation Forever” speech
"Notes on Fallacies & the Evaluation of Argument." Handout. San Diego State University RWS. San Diego. n.d. Print
Roberts-Miller, Patricia. "Characteristics of Demagoguery." Handout. San Diego State University RWS. San Diego. n.d. Print.