Essay Example on Countering Violent Religious Extremism: Obama Addresses Nation

Introduction

On 18th April 2015, the former United States President Barack Obama delivered his address on how to counter violent religious extremism in Washington, DC. In his long address to the nation, the broader context of the speech was the increasing radicalization, recruiting, or inspiration of violent extremism by terrorist groups. The speaker was categorical of these extremist groups mentioning Al Qaeda and ISIL which pose of religious groups fighting to defend a particular religion though, propagating violent extremism (American Rhetoric, 2015). As the speaker talked about the issue, it was evident by then that violent religious extremism had become a threat not just to the security of the United States but the entire nation. He however made immortalized remarks which appeared like envisioning a win against the religious extremism behavior by countries coming together to tame the menace that had robbed of the glory of many countries as the speaker put it. The former president makes it clear in his address that there need to draw a line between terrorism that supports violence and extremism to end human life and the Muslim religion (American Rhetoric, 2015). Considering the content of the speech by Barrack Obama touching on fundamental aspects of religion and violence, the address is an excellent rhetorical text for analysis on approaching technical matters related to contemporary religion.

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The rationale for the study

Terrorism is a security threat that has affected not only the United States but many countries especially those with a large following of the Islamic religion. In the contemporary world, the issue of terrorism has been manipulated to look like a religious matter with some groups forming up in the name of defending the Muslim groups. The perspective has become so rampant that it has made many to believe that indeed this is a religious matter which is entirely out of context. Instead, the continued and increased religion violent extremism has nothing to do with the religion we have around including Islamic religion. Thus, this speech serves a fundamental purpose in the sense that it brings out an essential position of the United States on terrorism that is propagating religious violence. The study is therefore worth enough to draw a line between violent extremism and the religion to propose technical strategies that can be applied to counter the situation.

The Scope of the Study

In this case, the study involves a public speech made by a political figure in the political history of the United States. The study examines how this rhetoric text provides evidence of terrorism since violent extremism is a security threat to the United States. Further, the study considers how the text is regarded as religious-related and how it brings out the whole issue of religion. It is essential to examine what the United States has done in terms of addressing the problem and how it involves other countries towards the same. Finally, having understood all the channels of terrorism and extremism activities, the study will consider some of the proposals by the United States especially the security department on how to handle the matter.

The rhetorical tools or methods

In consideration of the length of the text and its content, the primary methods to be applied involve the narrative and key narrative structures. The narrative method would be suitable in the sense that the text identifies multiple issues that needed to be stated in order to give meaning to what the speaker is talking about. The key narrative structure is essential in helping understand how the text flows and the way the speaker brings in the issue of religion and makes a connection between various concepts in the text. Similarly, the analysis considers the movement between the text itself and the context within which the address is given including the purpose.

Brief analysis

The rhetoric text contains multiple persuasive features that may appeal to the audience. The features are presented through the context of the text. The speaker in the speech brings out fundamental and critical topics for discussion such as security, terrorism and the link of terrorism to religion. The most appealing part of the address is how the speaker draws the line between religion and terrorism clearly indicating that the two aspects do not complement one another. The speaker engages the audience when he points out some consequences of terrorism before taking them to task on how they all help defeat violent religious extremism.

Provisional thesis

Considering the content of the speech by Barrack Obama, it touches on fundamental aspects of religion and violence. The address is an excellent rhetorical text for analysis on approaching technical matters related to contemporary religion. Obama candidly discusses the issues of terrorism as the threat to security, draws the line between religion and terrorism, consequences of violent religious extremism and ways to combat the issue.

Rhetorical Analysis

Ideologically, security has been perceived as a fundamental idea for the country if there is the need for economic growth and achievement. The political class under a given regime has been given the constitutional authority to ensure citizens, and other members of the society are secure from any form of threat. In connection to the speech by the former president of the United States, Barrack Obama, the issue of security comes out vividly and ideally singles out terrorism as one factor that threatens the security of the region and beyond. The text of the address itself lies at the other end of the continuum. A close look at the text makes it be considered more of a piece in a museum that needs scrutiny. The speaker describes an idea that has created discourse in the country over the years and not just in the United States but across the region and in many countries (American Rhetoric, 2015). The highlights on multiple strategies to ouster the menace is what singles out this text to be considered for analysis and a point for reference when describing an administrative idea of a regime. For instance, Obama without hesitation describes terrorism as a significant threat to the U.S security when he says, "So these terrorists are a threat, first and foremost, to the communities that they target, which means communities have to take the lead in protecting themselves" (American Rhetoric, 2015). He therefore candidly talks about this, and no one will ever want to skip such a script that touches on fundamental issues affecting the people. The idea by the speaker to use strong words and bringing the entire community placing it at the receiving end of this threat of terrorism is a persuasive effort used to consider this text essential for the analysis.

Obama's choice of words in the address becomes powerful when the speaker stops at the generalization of the issue of terrorism and considers pointing at the actual groupings. For instance, the speaker identifies Al Qaeda and ISIL as being among the terrifying groups around the world which propagate violent extremism. Further, he identifies names such as Osama Bin Laden to make it persuasive enough that the speech is not in vain but talking about the real issues (American Rhetoric, 2015). These issues exist in society and need to be isolated and solved if there is a need for a secure society. Indeed, Obama shows a lot of openness in his speech which may be vital in the fight against violent extremism as propagated by terrorists making it a considerable script that could be used by the authority to ensure a secure community. Sometimes the choice of words indicates how a given script is passionate about the message being delivered and the commitment of the speaker to be part of the ongoing discourse. The same is what is seen in this context in the sense that Obama indicates the commitment to discredit the ideologies and instead tackle them the way they come (American Rhetoric, 2015). The firm and robust decision held by the speakers makes an address more of an inspiring script to the new generation and even the group in charge of ensuring the security is guaranteed and that terrorism is all fought.

As if this has been long awaited for, Obama touches on how religion has been used as a hiding place for the extremism. The discussion about religion and terrorism has been ongoing for years and has generated a lot of exchange of words and affected the working relationships between multiple stakeholders from both sides. Obama, however, draws the line between where religion stands and where terrorism starts. The fact that the speaker makes the record straight on the relationship between terrorism and religion makes this a considerable script to examine not just at the time of the address but in a future discussion. Obama speaks strongly against the perception that terrorism represents a particular religion or a group from a certain worship quarter. He says, "So just as leaders like myself reject the notion that terrorists like ISIL genuinely represent Islam, Muslim leaders need to do more to discredit the notion that our nations are determined to suppress Islam, that there's an inherent clash in civilizations" (American Rhetoric, 2015). The position Obama takes on the entire issue of religion and terrorism sets the record straight what the authority should consider handling and doing when it considers fighting the issue of terrorism. Obama's speech is worth this criticism to give an idea of what the two issues are all about and what needs to be done if a solution is to be found on the entire issue of terrorism.

Obama does not just stop at discussing the discourse around terrorism and religion but goes further to bring out the need for an instant solution by indicating some of the challenges experienced through violent extremism. "But we are here at this summit because of the urgent threat from groups like al Qaeda and ISIL (American Rhetoric, 2015)." By making a connection between violent extremism and the harms it causes to the community, Obama makes an awakening call to everyone to join the fight against violent extremism that drags in religion with the intent of justifying the wrongdoing. Obama makes it appear more of a global issue that has harsh implications on the economy of not only America but almost across the world. By stating this, it becomes a problem not for a few but almost for everyone who reside in countries that have been affected by the issues of violent extremism of religion. Thus, the address examines why there is the need for immediate action and Obama is categorical on this depicting that it is only if people stand out against terrorism based on religion that they would be economically empowered. The enticing economic promise of what good awaits the people is what further motivates them to believe that there is a need to have a quick solution towards this issue. This makes Obama's address on the issue fundamental for analysis to impart knowledge in people and the benefits they will have to gain on rejecting the vice of terrorism based on religion.

In the back and forth movement between the text and context, surprising insights are gained on how the text achieves particular effects on solutions. Going ahead, the speech by Obama does not end without doing the fundamental thing of offering solutions that the audience would like to hear. The highlighted solutions consider the inclusive audience of this speech including all the members of the public, military, organizations, and the security persons. Obama says, "As we go forward, we need to find new ways to amplify the voices of peace and tolerance and inclusion -- and we especially need to do it online (American Rhetoric, 2015)." Going by the statement, the speaker is simply calling out the voice of everyone to talk...