I have analyzed the "I have a dream" speech by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
This speech is an example of "langauage that inspired change because it brought the issue of segregation and civil rights to the highest degree in America. The speech was a launching pad to end segregation in the south and to make laws that would enable all Americans to be free. The language of the speech provided hope to all black Americans and show that someone is going to fight for what is right. The speech declares that everyone one day will be free and be able to live in a nation where there is only bias based on a person's character.
The location connects with the speech based on the presence of the memorial statue of President Abraham Lincoln. President Lincoln abolished slavery and fought for civil rights during his time as president and during the U.S. Civil War. Martin Luther King, Jr. uses the Lincoln Memorial to symbolise who first started the fight for civil rights and where the fight for civil rights is at today. Dr. King references in his speech the Emancipation Proclamation which is the first legislature to give black Americans a right to live freely. The Emancipation Proclamation is the law that abolished slavery.
I believe that there would have not been a better location to give the speech. I think the location is symbolic and serves the purpose. Having the speech in Washinton D.C. is also a great purpose to tell the government what is wrong about the nation. Having the person who started the fight ( Lincoln) and the person who is presently (King) leading the fight for civil rights is a great way to show that anyone white or black have the same vision and same fight in them to make America truly the land of the free.
I think it is obvious that the speech changed the way people viewed civil rights. I think that if the speech didn't have an effect than we wouldn't have the freedoms and rights that we do today. I believe that there was more support from many people of different races after the speech. I think many white americans were afraid to stand up and defend a black american before the speech and didn't choose to fight before because they didn't want to be harmed by many white americans that opposed civil rights. However after the speech the number of people that supported Dr. King's speech and the effort for civil rights outnumbered those who were opposed and were able to change America what it is today. I believe that many of the people to fight for civil rights believed that in America this is what needs to happen. I believe that if we are able to set an example in our country to be free then maybe other countries will follow. We are still fighting the fight for equal rights but we will always truly be the land of the free.
I honestly smiled when I read your third paragraph. Not to say your whole post wasn't great, but the third one just made more sense to me and I agreed with it to the fullest. Location is key, the speech was great and it was given with such passion, but I personally think the environment made it even more greater.
ReplyDeleteI liked how you introduced the whole concept of the significance of the location of the speech in the previous paragraph and gave reasons to why it was perfect.
I'm going to have to somewhat disagree with the fact that you said that the speech changed the way people view civil rights. I think you could've said it changed the way a majority of people saw civil roghts, because a lot were moved, but others weren't. I agree with it being the beginning of ending segregation to a certain extent. I really liked this speech and support the equality aspect of it, I respect the man who made the speech from what I know of him and I'm glad you chose to analyze it.=)
I love that Analysis of (Lincoln) past and (Martin Luther King Jr.) present, both talking about and fighting for the same cause. The true significance of that is like you said the ability for a white man of that time period to view slavery and segregation as wrong, i think this really helped the white people of America to speak up and speak out against segregation and the mistreatment of human beings. That being said just concludes that the location of the speech could not have been better. Obviously the speech got through to people, otherwise why would we be writing a blog about it some significant years later way after Martin Luther King Jr’s death. I agree with what you said about "setting an example" America has always been the progressive country, we are competitive and always want to be viewed as the most fair and the best. How could we keep this reputation if we weren't really a unified Nation at all and we treated all people differently? Just knowing this helped his cause and helped America to wise up and like you said the number of people who agreed with Martin Luther King Jr. was far greater than people who didn’t agree with his cause, overtime at least. I think it is safe to say that if Martin Luther King Jr. wasn’t the influential person he was we would not have a black president right now. He had a lasting affect that I think changed our country for the better, I wish he was still around to see what his work has done to our Nation.
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