How 9/11 Changed America

What better way is there to appeal to an emotionally damaged group of people than to appeal to their feelings of resentment? The pathos in this speech was instrumental in the rise of Bush’s approval rating from just over 50% to a staggering 90% (Gallup, Inc. “Presidential Approval Ratings -- George W. Bush." Gallup.com). In one instance, Bush mentions the sight of Republicans and Democrats alike joined together on the Capitol singing “God Bless America”, and this is just one phrase that illustrates how devastating the attacks were. Bush makes many remarks to demonstrate that the acts of the Taliban are illogical, and only acted upon sheer spite. As said by Bush himself, “They hate what they see right here” (“The Rhetoric of 9/11: President George W. Bush -- Address to Joint Session of Congress and the American People”). He goes on to explain that this is indeed a reference to the democracy that the U.S. is

In 2001, George W. Bush gave a speech to Congress after the terrorist attack on 9/11. Although I was 10 years old and unable to understand everything then, I am able to understand them now. And as an American citizen I stand by Bush wanting to keep America free and the world a safe place for all human’s to live in. Bush gave this speech on September 20, 2001. Nine days after America had been attacked by terrorists. Bush makes sure to thank many people, including all of America for pulling together and helping each other in this time of confusion and weakness. He then goes on to explain to American why we were attacked and who these terrorists were. They terrorists were al-Qaida, whose goal is to remake the world and impose their radical

On September 20, 2001, President George W. Bush made a speech on the terrorist attack, which took place on September 11, 2001. The people of America needed support and direction on how to handle what just happen. The American people demanded that the President addresses the Nation after the attacks and guide them. Nine days later, President Bush did just that. Over the next few days, emotions ran high in the country. “Will this happen again?” “Is it safe to leave in my home?” many wondered. Everywhere throughout the Nation, airlines had stopped service, the New York Stock Exchange was temporarily suspended, and every tv channel around the country played the latest news about the attack. The American people understandably asked and asked “What’s next?” from their leaders, so when President Bush gave his

After the twin towers fell and condensed to rubble on September 11, 2001, the Bush administration quickly formulated a plan to maintain the nation’s sense of national safety and security. John Lewis Gaddis summarized the administration’s directions to the public when he wrote, “Bush requested, and only partially received, what amounted to a global police action against terrorism, combined with a call for vigilance at home and abroad, combined with the suggestion that, despite what had happened, Americans should carry on with their ordinary lives” (Gaddis at 37). The citizens were to follow the example of former British politician Sir Winston Churchill; Bush believed the nation would best react to the crisis by applying Churchill’s words

The terror attacks on September 11, 2001 at the Twin Towers in New York City and the Pentagon in Washington D.C. are remembered as America’s largest tragedy; after all, 3,000 people were killed in these attacks (Combs and Slann). A sense of security and confidence had vanished. However, what is not mentioned in the news articles, TV headlines, and radio chats on the anniversary of 9/11 is the large impact these attacks made on the American psyche. It is not that this outcome was of lesser importance, but it was one of the unnoticed, since all Americans underwent this change. Out of everything that came out of 9/11, this was well needed. Americans had been thinking the same thing about their country for a long time and needed to see that

On the brink of two different wars, two United States’ Presidents rose up to the challenge of calming the American people and fighting for the belief of justice. A day after devastation on December 7, 1941, Franklin D. Roosevelt gives his “Pearl Harbor Address to the Nation”. At the beginning of a terrorist crisis in 2001, George W. Bush announces a “‘War on Terror’ Declaration”. Both Presidents have many similarities in common, yet their differences set them apart with uniqueness. These two speeches, separate by nearly sixty years, weave an outright and assertive tone into their diction and detail.

On the morning of September 11, 2001, al Qaeda terrorists carried out a set of coordinated suicide attacks with four-hijacked passenger planes and killed around 3,000 people on American soil. The first two planes hit the World Trade center in New York and killed everyone on board and hundreds inside the buildings. Following this attack, the nation was informed by President Bush that these attacks were, “apparent terrorist attacks on our country” (http://www.history.com/topics/9-11-timeline). The third hijacked plane soon crashed into the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., and killed hundreds of people aboard and 125 military and civilian personnel inside the building. The fourth plane deliberately crashed into a field in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, taking the lives of all the people and the crew aboard after a few passengers tried to take the plane back from the hijackers. With thousands of lives taken and the American people frightened and in need of answers, they expected someone to deliver a speech to provide comfort and guidance. George W. Bush, as president, was the only logical rhetor to fill that need, and nine days later on September 20, 2011, he addressed the Nation in a Joint Session of Congress concerning the terror attacks. As we examine political speeches and analyze how rhetorical devices are used, we turn to experts William Lutz, Clyde Miller, and Carol Lea Clark for guidance. Miller, Clark, and Lutz note to the

September 11, 2001, a modern infamous day in American history. It was on this day, that terrorists, some who were taught in the 1980s by America, set out to make a large declaration in the World. America’s response to the events that unfolded, changed the very way America dealt with its foreign policy.

Since President Abraham Lincoln’s great second inaugural address (May 4th 1865) nearly 150 years ago it was a long existing habit for the President’s inaugural address to present a quite ambiguous demand for diplomacy and transformation of the world. President Bush’s second inaugural address was no different. It set forth President Bush’s ambitious perception of the United States’ role in progressing of liberty, democracy, and freedom worldwide “with the ultimate goal of ending tyranny in our world” . In spite of persuade his public to adhere to his arguably over ambiguous goal, President George W. Bush uses a rhetoric approach that blends parts of pathos and ethos with precise word choice to create ethically and emotionally charged

It was 8:45 a.m., September 11, 2001. 6,000 people sat at their desk working, no one knew that in the next minute they would be faced with a life or death situation. The whole country would see the twin towers tumble in their last minutes of standing, while others were just trying to make it out the dark alive. But as George W. Bush said, “These acts of mass murder were intended to frighten our nation into chaos and retreat. But they have failed. Our country is strong.” Therefore no matter how hard people may attack us, we will fight back standing tall and together for we are strong as a nation united. For me, I have come to understand the positive and negative effects of the increase in patriotism, emotional effects, and war on terrorism through

Everyone should know what happened September 11th commonly known as 9/11, it is when the World Trade Center’s twin towers fell and thousands of people stood in silence. Everyone remembers this terrorist act caused a lot of panic because of the mass destruction which took years to clean up. A month before 9/11, President George Bush was handed a memo saying Bin laden was determined to strike the US, saying he could possibly be hijacking planes and targeting New York City, this wasn’t the first time a terrorist attack happened in the World trade center. A bombing in February in 1993 killed around six people.

President George W. Bush was giving a speech to the nation after the terrorist attack on September 11, 2001. President Bush starts off by talking about how the way of life in America fell under attack and how it has affected many people. He starts off stating some of the facts about the attack and how it has impacted the country as a whole. This helps to let the audience know that it is a speech that will give them information and that it will probably be important and this will get them to listen. Bush continues to talk about who the victims where and how they were targeted to through the country into chaos. This is appealing to the audience’s emotions to get them ready to hear what he is about to say and let them know he is talking about things that apply to them which will help encourage them to continue strong and to rally to counter these acts of terror. He is also talking with a calm voice which shows his audience that he knows what has happened is trying to help and keep things going smoothly. His talking with a calm smooth voice also gives a sense of calm to the viewers. Then he says that “Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannot touch the foundation of America. These acts shatter steel, but they cannot dent the steel of American resolve” (Bush). This helps the audience believe that they will make it through this time of hardship. He is also using ethos by talking about the culture of the American people saying on how

This speech is also a declaration of war from America. “Our war on terror begins with al Qaeda, but it does not end there.” Bush announces that America will take the responsibility of not only eliminating those who were involved in 911, but also all other terrorism activities around the world. It is interesting how America automatically assumes authority over world and self nominates itself being the ‘global police’. This statement indirectly suggests that America is to be in charge of all activities in the world.

On September 11th, 2001, Islamic terrorists attacked the World Trade Center in New York City, and the Pentagon building in Washington D.C. The terrorists, affiliated with Al Qaeda, were led by Osama bin Laden. On September 20, 2001, nine days after the attack on the country, President George Bush addressed the Nation in a Joint Session of Congress. In this speech, Bush uses a great deal of pathos and an urgently imperative tone, to create an effect that reaches out to the American people as a whole in a call for not only recognition, but action. Throughout the country, emotions ran high in America and many were in constant fear for their lives and their country. “Is another terrorist attack coming?” “Who will be the next target?” “Could this be the end of the world?” many wondered. The people wanted answers and that is what Bush gave them. When President addressed the nation not only did he have to answer those questions, but he also had to diminish fears and reinstill a sense of pride and stability in the American people. The President utilized several techniques, pathos and ethos, that had effectively calmed public fears and persuaded the people toward united action.

As leaders of the United States, presidents must lead and reassure their country that they are protected and valued. In the case of the 9/11 attacks, citizens all over the country needed to know that we were looking for justice and that we were protected and ready in case of another attack. The speech that George W. Bush gave that same day of the attacks, offered a lot of what citizens needed to hear. His speech, although short, shared the grieve all the country was suffering and gave citizens assurance that America was strong by saying, “These acts of mass murder were intended to frighten our nation into chaos and retreat. But they have failed. Our country is strong.” He also continuously uses phrases such as “best of America” and “brightest beacon of freedom” to reassure and convince the general public that we fine and that as a country,