Hypocrisy Of American Slavery Rhetorical Analysis

Hypocrisy in America
As Jamil Abdullah Al-Amin known for black power movement stated, See, justice is a joke in this country, and it stinks of its hypocrisy”. The United States lives a hypocritical lie claiming “freedom” with the famous “all men are created equal” constitution, however America has denied those basic rights to colored men throughout decades. Frederick Douglass testifies to the hypocrisy of American slavery through his speech where he makes a strong point in defining what's wrong with America. Using a Toulmin model of rhetorical analysis, Frederick Douglass’s main claim is that people in America are hypocrites because they celebrate independence while the American society continues slavery.
Frederick Douglass’s states the main claim in the title, “The Hypocrisy of American Slavery”. What he means is that the American society lives a hypocritical lie by celebrating freedom while owning slaves. As douglass mentions in his speech, “This Fourth of July is yours, not mine, you may rejoice, I must mourn”. This quote supports his claim of the segregation between races. Douglass the African American leader spoke on behalf of all the African slaves, and their true beliefs in America's hypocrisy. Even Though Frederick Douglass was

not a slave at the time he was the voice of all the Africans who were enslaved. During his speech Frederick mentions he did not feel part of the fourth of July because he once was a slave due to his color.
Throughout the speech, the main claim is supported with minor claims, for instance, Frederick Douglass states, “There are seventy-two crimes in the State of Virginia, which, if committed by a black man (no matter how ignorant he be), subject him to the punishment of death; while only two of these same crimes will subject a white man to like punishment”. This quote reinforces the main claim Douglass is trying to elaborate because it shows how unfair the American society treats black men. In addition, he also mentions how cruelly slaves are treated, “ It is wrong to make men brutes, to rob them of their liberty, to work them without wages, to keep them ignorant of their relations to their fellow men, to beat them with sticks, to flay their flesh with the lash, to load their limbs with irons, to hunt them with dogs, to sell them at auction, to sunder their families, to knock out their teeth, to burn their flesh, to starve them into obedience and submission to their masters”. This quote shows the true colors of the American society, and how hypocrite they were for celebrating freedom.
On the other hand, many Americans disagreed with Frederick Douglass’s speech, as he states, “But I fancy I hear some of my audience say it is just in this circumstance that you and your brother Abolitionists fail to make a favorable impression on the public mind”. This quote from Douglass’s speech acknowledges the audience who believes slaves shouldn't have freedom. The quote targets the white Americans who probably owned slaves and refused to admit that their actions were cruel and inhumane.
America claims to be a land of freedom and equality, however unfair treatment of black people makes the American society hypocrites. America cannot claim liberty when a immense proportion of their population lives under segregation. Frederick Douglass states that the fourth of July is not a day of celebration for black people, “What to the American slave is your Fourth of July? I answer, a day that reveals to him more than all other days of the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim”. This quote suggest that while the white people get to celebrate independence, black people are still being separated through segregation. This sentence from Douglass’s speech qualifies the main claim by giving further explanation on why America's actions are those of a hypocrite.
Frederick Douglass has the credibility to speak about America’s hypocrisy since he was a former slave. In the introduction of the speech it states, “The first half of his life, after his escape from slavery in 1838, was spent in the abolition movement. Later he served in a number of positions, including US ambassador to Haiti”. Therefore, because Frederick Douglass experienced the cruelty of being a slave, he gathers the attention of a bigger audience and what he speaks is nothing but facts.
Frederick Douglass uses warrants throughout his speech to express his point of view in slavery.

For instance, one’s mind quickly thinks slavery is awful as soon as somebody mentions it. Therefore, as Douglass states, “What, then, remains to be argued? Is it that slavery is not divine; that God did not establish it; that our doctors of divinity are mistaken? There is blasphemy in the thought. That which is inhuman cannot be divine. Who can reason on such a proposition? They that can, may - I cannot. The time for such argument is past”. This quote from Douglass’s speech works as a warrant because it makes the audience realize, and kick in it's common sense that slavery is inhumane, and something that God would have never

wanted.
Frederick Douglass uses backing in the end of his speech to give additional support to his claim. For example, as he says, “ The feeling of the nation must be quickened; the conscience of the nation must be roused; the propriety of the nation must be startled; the hypocrisy of the nation must be exposed; and its crimes against God and man must be denounced”. This particular quote from Douglass’s speech helps get his point across and really get the audience to ask questions, and consider ending slavery.
In conclusion, Frederick Douglass implies the Toulmin Model in his speech to encourage his audience to end slavery. His main claim being that the American society lives a hypocritical lie due to the celebration of freedom, when slavery still continued. Since Frederick Douglass was a slave himself he is able to provide examples of all the cruel inhumane tortures Americans would do to their slaves, which encouraged Douglass to make a speech and hopefully move a step forward to end slavery.