I have a dream--situational analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

I have a dream--situational analysis - Essay Example This was the most famous speech he ever made which almost immortalized him. Dr. King, even to this day, remains an icon of anti racist movement. The rhetoric "I have a dream" became part of all the freedom movements to come and his words "Let freedom ring" reverberated from all corners of the world, as a sanctified slogan of freedom loving humankind. The rhetorical situation had many constraints at the time. Even though it was John Kennedy, one of the most exalted Presidents of America, the sworn enemy of racism, Kennedy had realized that it would take years to remove the evil from its roots. He was a new President, still testing the water of American politics and was not yet ready for a civil war like situation with the racial frenzy South. Things had not changed much from the days of Abe Lincoln. President Kennedy had to send federal troops to admit James Meredith to the University of Mississippi, in 1962, the very thing he really wanted to avoid. The President also had to order the marshals to accompany Meredith while attending his University Classes. King knew that in Kennedy he had a sympathizer and now it is known that Kennedy had already decided to do a lot for the rights of the black population, during his second term as President. But in 1963, even Kennedy was not in a position to do much to aid King. King knew that he had to fight his own battles, possibly with subtle help from the President and his Attorney General brother, Robert Kennedy. King's first task was generating support from the Black Community. There were a few fractions fighting for the civil liberty in an unorganized way. He knew that their strength lies in unity and undivided, fractionless black community. He knew that unless he did that, the movement had no chance of success. He also knew that President Kennedy's assassination in 1963 and the aspiring Presidential candidate, Robert Kennedy's murder in 1967, had removed any hope of administrative support for the movement, and the mild, rather wily successor, Lyndon Johnson never showed any such intention either by word or deed. King had to depend on his own rhetoric, wit, oratory and determination to make a success of the fight for civil liberties. This entire speech, its timing, location was towards that one particular goal. He had to enthuse and inspire them ('Let freedom ring'), explain and get them committed ('We cannot turn back'), and make them march with him towards the glittering goal of 'Free at last!' His eloquent speech was interrupted many times by the admiring frenzy of the audience that is the result of great purpose and happiness of having found a suitably inspiring leader at last for the cause. The rhetoric produced both short term and long-term effects. For the first time in recent decades black community of America was maintaining a united struggle for their