Rhetorical Analysis: Michael Bloomberg’s Speech on an Islamic Center

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Michael Bloomberg’s Speech on an Islamic Center Near Ground Zero - Rhetoric Analysis
Mayor Michael Bloomberg arose to the podium on the third day of August 2010 to express his opinion on the proposed Islamic Center close to Ground Zero. The speech was delivered at the Governor’s Island. The matter arose after the building a couple meters away from the World Trade Center collapsed. It is in the collapsed building that the Islamic group prayed. Several media houses got leads of the story and latched on. The media had been biased with the aim of ceasing the Islamic center opened at Park51. Consequently, they termed the matter as ‘Muslims constructing a mosque on Ground Zero. According to them, if the ‘Muslims’ managed to open up the new center the success would be a slap in the face of the United States of America. A nation that was a victim of one of the most serious world terrorist attack ‘by the same Muslims.’ Large media houses challenged the plans as well as the right for Muslims to restructure the building. Besides, it was claimed that the building ought to be a historic landmark. Thus, refurbishing it would be illegitimate (Pierce, Lee., p.73).
Michael not only defended the plans for the Islamic center but also appealed to his audience to be tolerant of other persons' religion. Besides, he appealed to his audience not to deny the minority their rights by the Americans who did not agree with another person’s religion. In his speech, he used both ethos and pathos to engage his audience. At the same time, he applied logos which offered a reason to the story which had swerved away from logic in the past couple months (Pierce, Lee., p.68).
Since the matter at hand was filled with emotions which conflicted with the patriotism of the opponents to the United States, the Mayor had to make himself believable. As such, he decided to talk to the New Yorkers rather than addressing the matter in a national media. Moreover, it was a matter that was rather solely upon the New Yorkers. In the early stages of his speech, he reminded his audience the history of the quest for religious freedom in the city. Bloomberg said “this is the freest city in the world. That's what makes New York special and different and strong.” That statement was directed to the New Yorkers &n...