Lindsay Grahams 9/11 Speech

Lindsey Graham’s 9/11 Statement

Senator Lindsey Graham, (republican) U.S. Senator for South Carolina, posted a statement in recognition of the fifth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on the United States. The statement Mr. Graham made actually only mentioned the 9/11 victims and their families in one short line. The statement really is a way for the Senator to remind the people of the importance of the war in Iraq.

The first thing that a visitor to Sen. Graham’s web page might notice is the image of the South Carolina coastline during the sunset. His name in bold letters, underlined with the words “U.S. Senator for South Carolina” conveys the message that while he is in the U.S. Senate he is working for the people of South Carolina. The image next to the one of the South Carolina coastline is that of the U.S. capitol building in Washington D.C.

The page is constructed like that of a newspaper, with the word “Washington” in bold print as the first word. This set up helps set the reader feel that they are reading an objective news piece instead of commentary from a republican senator. As the reader begins the piece it does seem like a piece of news that is being reported.

Mr. Graham begins his statement with the line, “Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families who lost loved ones on 9/11”. In starting with the word “Our” he sends the message to his audience that the feelings he expresses are not individually his but, views that are shared with others.

After the first line, the senator immediately changes the subject of his statement from the tragedy of 9/11 to the war in Iraq. He uses pathos to gain the sympathy of his audience by reminding them that nearly 3,000 military and civilian men and women have died. As he urges “all Americans to understand this war” he explains that the war is different than any war before in that there are “no capitals