Rhetorical Analysis Of Jesse Williams Acceptance Speech

This rhetorical analysis of Jesse Williams’ acceptance speech for the humanitarian Award. The Rhetors for this speech would be Jesse Williams himself and also BET (Black Entertainment Television). This analysis focused more on the verbal symbols then the non verbal because it was such a important subject that had, and still is going on in American. Jesse Williams’ acceptance speech had focused on informing the world that something has to be done about the injustice in our police system, and also the wrongful doing against African Americans. This speech was given June 26th 2016 at the Microsoft Theater. Around this time mapping police violence shows that 36% of blacks were killed by police even though only 16% of African American take up the

US population. Some more statistics stated by them, are only 13 out of 194 cases where an unarmed minority was killed by a police officer, four ended in mistrial, four still awaiting a trial, only four have been convicted, and only one officer pleaded guilty. Even with all these statistics there is a reason why Jesse Williams felt the need to make his speech about this specific topic.

Thus brings us to the chain of messaging. Injustice against African Americans strays back as far as you can tell but one of the big events was the Civil Rights Movement which lasted from the 1950 to 1960’s (adl.org). The Civil Rights Movement was when African American men and women, along side with caucasians tried to get equal access for opportunities such as school desegregation, voting right and fair employment. They use non violent protest, negotiations, and petitions (scholastic). Even with this there were so many cases of police brutality. In Augusta, Georgia police killed three rioters and three bystander all which were unarmed african americans (osu). OSU also states that in 1972 over a 12 day period three black men were killed ages 14, 17, and 22. Now fast forwarding to present time police brutality is still as prominent as it was in the 1950’s. In 2012 Trayvon Martin was killed by George Zimmerman a neighborhood volunteer (CNN). Which caused Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, and Opal Tometi to start the Black Live Matter movement (BLM). This organization was a response to violence and anti black racism also stated by Black Live Matter.com. Sandra Bland, Eric Garner Darrien Hunt, Rekia Boyd, and Tamir Rice are all victims of police brutality, also the five individuals that Jesse Williams had named in his speech to show that we haven’t came a long way that americans believe we have.

A message becomes rhetorical when it hits five main points. Thus are, does the message addresses public audience (Stoner and Perkins, 2005)? Is it purposeful (Stoner and Perkins, 2005)? Does it create social concern (Stoner and Perkins, 2005)? Does it rely on verbal and nonverbal symbols (Stoner and Perkins, 2005)? Lastly does shape the way people think (Stoner and Perkins, 2005)? Jesse Williams speech does all of these. His speech was on national television thats broadcasted worldwide, It’s purposeful because it’s about a topic he wants to see change in. This speech creates social concern because he wants people to know that police brutality is a problem and it’s not going to be hidden anymore. He relies on verbal symbols by his actual speech and nonverbal by his body language. And lastly this speech shapes how people think by showing them their is more they can do if they just speak up. This speech was targeted to young black americans to show they are being fought for. Not only them but also the police officers who are doing the killing. Most importantly the President because he has to the power to make this change. Jesse Williams uses the critical theory to show that African Americans are marginalized therefor forgotten by society.

Analysis / Interpretation

When using the critical theory to analyze Jesse Williams’ speech we tend to look for the patterns that shows how he exposes hegemonic thinking in society today. Throughout the speech Mr. Williams uses many explains on why african americans are being marginalized. How the school systems are afraid to teach students about what really happened to Africans or how police are managing to “de-escalate, disarm and not kill white people everyday” in his own words. This strategy is progressive because it shows how the hegemony (which are caucasian police officers) think they are superior to minorities and they are held to a higher standard than your regular working african american. Jesse Williams states to be exact “So I don’t want to hear anymore about how far we’ve come when paid public servants can pull a drive by on a 12 year old playing alone in a park broad daylight, killing him on television and going home to make a sandwich”. What stands out the most is that he called the police “paid public servants” instead of their job title which shows that their hegemony needs to be tested. Jesse Williams shows us that police officers are not the people who we feel that we can come to when we’re in trouble. These “paid public servants” aren’t the ones when citizens are scared one feels that they can trust. He doesn’t want to give them the title if they don’t deserve it. Jesse Williams also uses this situation about 12 year old Tamir Rice to show that police brutality is still very much here, even though people like to say “we’ve came along way.” He shows that Tamir Rice was forgotten by society. This officer going home to make a “sandwich” right after he killed this child shows that this is how people of color are treated because it is normalized.

Throughout the speech Mr.

WIlliams uses “Now” in the first four stanzas. He does this to show how prominent and serious this situation is. The target audience can’t just sit there and just watch, they have to do. Mr. Williams also states “ All of us in here getting money? That alone isn't gonna stop this.” This speech being at the BET awards insinuates that majority of the audience are african american, so he’s stating that just because we are doing well for ourselves and are successful people of color doesn't mean they can forget about their people. This brining into another pattern of the word “we”. Constantly through the speech Jesse Williams includes himself as one with the word “we”. Jesse is a celebrity himself and the victims of police brutality are not. But includes himself with we because he understands in this world he still a “ni***r” to the police who are actively killing unarmed black men. He shows that hegemonic practice is blacks being profiled by police race but also they try to legitimize it by which he says himself “burying black people out of sight and out of mind while extracting our culture, our dollars, our entertainment”. By him saying this he proves they’re using african american culture to justify that they’re not racist, or targeting only blacks. While analyzing this speech Jesse isn’t trying to degrade the white race, but he wants to let it be know that what is happening to his people is wrong. He exposes that hegemonic thinking that has been

happening in America since the 1600’s. He doesn’t believe that every white person is racist but he also believes that they will always be considered superior.

Tying in pattern of relationships, Jesse made it a key point to make it known that he is credible thus letting the audience to trust him.

When he first started the speech he made sure to include black women which are often looked past more than a black man. He builds that relationship with the black women to show them that they are not forgotten he states “We can, and will, do better for you.” This was such a great strategy to engage the crowd to feel and respond to his speech. Also he makes sure to humble himself by saying the speech was not made for him it was made for “real organizers all over the country, activist… the struggling parents, the teachers….. A system built to divide and impoverished and destroy us cannot stand if we do.” He shows these are only some of the people who don’t get enough credit and today they will. Jesse uses such a progressive strategy when giving this speech because he uses every way possible to knock down the “hegemonic masculinity” which would be the white

officer.

So now you ask yourself “so what?” why should us, the targeted audience listen and respond to what you’re saying? Jesse WIlliams takes you step by step on why America needs change. Not only with the system but people of color themselves need to want the change and act on it. Towards the ends Jesse states “If you have no interest in equal rights for black people, then do not make suggestion to those who do.” Him saying this is to the people who disagree on the “Black Lives Matter” organization, those who have an opinion but their opinions defends the hegemonic or stereotypical thinking.