Rfk Speech

In his "Indianapolis speech," Robert Kennedy used the emotional appeal of pathos to urge African Americans not to seek revenge by rioting in the streets after the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. Instead he wanted all Americans, both African Americans and White Americans to work together to achieve King's goal of love and Justice. King wanted all people no matter their race to be considered equal. Kennedy said that African Americans "can be filled bitterness, and with hatred, and a desire for revenge" (Paragraph 2). Kennedy tried to communicate to the African American community. I attempted to identify with them and their feelings. He showed that he understood how they felt. To help support his message, he urged that all be like Martin Luther King and try to "Understand, and to comprehend, and replace that violence, that stain of bloodshed that has spread across our land, with an effort to understand, compassion, and love" (Paragraph 3). Do what King would have wanted you to do was his message. He did not only announce the tragedy of King's assassination, but also said that it was a very sad thing. He said it three times for emphasis. His reasoning was to bring Americans together, as people who want justice, and who want to strive together to achieve it. His intention was to show that no matter one's skin color, the vast majority of Americans want people to live together, improve their lives, and have justice. He connected with the audience's emotions and sympathized with them.