Rhetorical Analysis Of Religious Toleration

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Despite humanity’s progression in tolerance and acceptance, religious toleration remains a prominent issue discussed often in today’s politics. This contemporary complication still continues to be addressed by numerous political leaders in powerful speeches, such as President Obama’s Religious Toleration in America speech delivered in 2010 during the annual, tradition Iftar dinner with the eminent Muslim figures present. In this address, President Barack Hussein Obama utilizes several rhetorical devices in order to achieve his goal of informing Americans about the government's attitude towards religious acceptance, specifically towards Muslims.

Although subtle, each rhetorical device employed in the speech plays the role of advancing …show more content…

Obama further continues this political appeal by sourcing the “Virginia Act of Establishing Religion Freedom”, in which “Thomas Jefferson wrote that ‘all men shall be free to profess, and by argument to maintain, their opinions in matters of religion.’” As the speech progress and Obama approaches the issue of the Ground Zero mosque however, President Obama Obama employs emotional appeal to the crowd in order to further relate to them when he reminds viewers that “We must never forget those who we lost so tragically on 9/11... from the firefighters who charged up smoke-filled staircases, to our troops who are serving in Afghanistan today”. Consequently, the logical, logos statement that the Muslims have “the right to build a place of worship and a community center on private property in Lower Manhattan, in accordance with local laws and ordinances” appears much more agreeable with the general populous. In emotional moments such as these, President Obama would often raise/ lower his voice accordingly, creating even more emotion and sympathy. Likewise, allusions and anecdotes are used to confirm Obama’s message with recognizable figures and symbols. Again, the reference to “the wisdom of our Founders of America” creates a connection between the speaker and the audience while connecting past and

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