Part I: Robert F. Kennedy “Remarks on the Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.” View Robert F. Kennedy’s “Remarks on the Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.” delivered on April 4 1968. While you are reading listening to and viewing the speech pay particular attention to how the speaker addresses his audience and think about what thought went into the preparation and delivery of the speech. Then using the material in Zarefsky: Chapter 5 answer the following questions: Levels of Audience Analysis:Think about the three “levels of audience analysis” described in our textbook –demographics cultures and psychology. For each level list two characteristics that you observed in RFK’s Indiana audience on that day and explain how each would influence Kennedy’s rhetorical choices. Consult at least one outside source (i.e. other than your textbook) to determine who his audience was on that day and then use your critical thinking skills to determine what the demographics cultures and psychologies would likely be. The speaker’s relationship to the audience:What was RFK’s relationship to his audience? Based on Kennedy’s statements what values did he seem to hold in common with his audience? What were some major differences that would affect his ethos?What if any hostilities did RFK face when informing the crowd of the assassination? Identification:How well do you feel that RFK identified with his audience? If you think that he did well provide two examples from the speech that illustrate this. If you think that he did poorly provide two examples of how he failed to identify with his audience. If you have a mixed reaction then provide one example of each. Overall performance: In two or three sentences evaluate RFK’s overall performance with regard to his audience in this address. .youtube.com/watch?v=GoKzCff8Zbs”>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GoKzCff8Zbs [ON-SCREEN TEXT (over a series of still images of Robert F. Kennedy): April 4th 1968 Martin Luther King was shot and killed. On that night Robert F. Kennedy New York’s senator back then wanted to deliver the news to the people of Indianapolis IN. Local police warned him they won’t be able to provide protection in the people would riot because he was in the heart of the African-American ghetto. He wrote his notes on his ride and started the speech without any drafts or prewritten words before his assistants would give him their proposed draft. This speech was delivered on the back of a flatbed truck.] [MUSIC PLAYING] [VIDEO PLAYBACK] ROBERT F. KENNEDY: I have some very sad news for all of you and I think sad news for all of our fellow citizens and people who love peace all over the world. And that is that Martin Luther King was shot and was killed tonight in Memphis Tennessee. [SCREAMING] Martin Luther King dedicated his life to love and to justice between fellow human beings. He died in the cause of that effort. In this difficult day– in this difficult time for the United States– it’s perhaps well to ask what kind of a nation we are and what direction we want to move in. For those of you who are black– considering the evidence evidently is that there were white people who were responsible– you can to be filled with bitterness and with hatred and a desire for revenge. We can move in that direction as a country in greater polarization– black people amongst blacks and white amongst whites filled with hatred toward one another. Or we can make an effort as Martin Luther King did to understand and to comprehend and replace that violence– that stain of bloodshed that is spread across our land– with an effort to understand compassion and love. For those of you who are black and are tempted to be filled with hatred and distrust of the injustice of such an act against all white people I would only say that I can also feel in my own heart the same kind of feeling. I had a member of my family killed but he was killed by a white man. But we have to make an effort in the United States. We have to make an effort to understand to get beyond or go beyond these rather difficult times. My favorite poem– my favorite poet was Aeschylus. And he once wrote “Even in our sleep pain which cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart until in our own despair against our will comes wisdom through the awful grace of God.” What we need in the United States is not division. What we need in the United States is not hatred. What we need in the United States is not violence and lawlessness– but is love and wisdom and compassion toward one another a feeling of justice toward those who still suffer within our country whether they be white or whether they be black. [APPLAUSE] We can do well in this country. We will have difficult times. We had difficult times in the past and we will have difficult times in the future. It is not the end of the violence. It is not the end of lawlessness and it’s not the end of disorder. But the vast majority of white people and the vast majority of black people in this country want to live together want to improve the quality of our life and want justice for all human beings that abide in our land with– [APPLAUSE] -and want to dedicate ourselves to what the Greeks wrote so many years ago– “to tame the savageness of man and make gentle the life of this world.” Let us dedicate ourselves to that and say a prayer for our country and for our people. Thank you very mu [ON SCREEN TEXT: Although all major cites had riots Indianapolis remained calm after RFS’s speech. 63 days later RFK was assassinated. This monument is in Indianapolis where he gave this historical speech.] MONUMENT DESCRIPTION: Two metal pillars facing each other — one with the torso head and arms of RFK and one of the torso head and arms of MLK and they are reaching out to each other.
