At the height of the Cold War, racial tensions in the United States were also reaching a breaking point. This era brought with it many of the seminal events in civil rights history: the start of the Freedom Rides in 1961, the University of Mississippi's admission of its first black student, and the Birmingham riots of 1963. While the 'America struggled with the ever- The current threat of nuclear war, this other type of conflict threatens to weaken and demoralize America from within. It is June 11, 1963, and the Alabama National Guardsmen are called to the University of Alabama to ensure the safe admission of two black students. That same afternoon, John F. Kennedy addresses the nation in an attempt to calm tempers on both sides of the debate. Despite limited preparation time, “… it was one of his best speeches: a heartfelt plea for a moral cause that included several memorable lines calling on the country to honor its best traditions” (Dallek). Indeed, part of this sincere spirit probably comes from the relative spontaneity of the speech. However, Kennedy is well known as adept at using language (Renehan), and intentionally employs several methods to create his appeals. In his “Civil Rights Speech”, he mainly talks about the responsibility of Americans, their duty to guarantee the freedom and equality of all American citizens. Through allusion he highlights the emptiness of freedom in a culture of segregation. He uses an authoritative tone, but he also uses diction that emphasizes his status as a fellow citizen. He lets his presidency work in the minds of his audience to influence them. It refers to documents that the public, especially at the time, considered sacred and important. Hello... half of the paper... they have not been diminished by time. The United States has since made major reforms and changes under the power of the civil rights movement. There will always be more to accomplish, but equality in America will never again be a secondary issue. The measure of a nation's compassion continues to lie in how its citizens are treated. Works Cited Dallek, Robert. "President John F. Kennedy's Civil Rights Dilemma." HistoryNet. Weider History Group, 2010. Web. October 19, 2010. "John F. Kennedy - Civil Rights Addendum." American rhetoric. Network. October 20, 2010.New international version. East Brunswick: International Bible Society, 1978. BibleGateway. Network. October 23, 2010. Renehan, Edward J., Jr. "JFK wrote his 'don't ask' speech / Thurston Clarke dispels the myth that it was written by aide Ted Sorenson." SFGate. Hearst Communications Inc., October 2004. Web. October 19. 2010.