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Abel Pena
Professor Bevill
ENGL 1302-06
12 September 2016
President Bushs 9/11 Speech
September 11, 2001 will be a day most Americans will never forget, a violent terroristic
attack on the World Trade Center resulting in trillions of dollars in damage and about 9000
casualties. President Bush addressed the American public on September 20, 2001 in his Address
to a Joint Session of Congress on the 9/11 attacks. Bush speaks on the tragedy that has occurred
and the over whelming support of other countries. President Bushs use of knowledge of
American history, ethical juxtaposition, and band wagon appeal help to comfort and unify the
American people while also showing his belief in the strength in the state of the union.
Bushs knowledge of history comforts the American people. The president discusses how
for the past 136 years, [there] have been wars on foreign soil (Bush 2). America has been
able to endure for such a long period of time without any acts of terrorism on their soil, the
American people are fearful because they have never experienced such a tragedy before. Since
the people havent experienced this sort of terror before and are in shock, they are overwhelmed
and make this situation out to be a bigger issue than it really is.
Bush employs the use of ethos by contrasting radical Islamic terrorists and followers of
Islam. Americans now associate these terroristic attacks with the beliefs of Islam but Muslims
are not the ones responsible for the attack. Bush states that its teaching are good and peaceful
our enemy is a radical network of terrorists and every government who supports them. This
comforts the people by distinguishing between fellow American Muslims and the radical

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terrorists who seek to destroy freedom. It shows that people should not target all Muslims and
portrays them in a positive light which reassures Americans that the state of the union is strong.
Bush uses the bandwagon appeal to unify the American people and impose his views. His
repetitive use of the words we and our gives a collective feel and sense of unity. At the
beginning of his speech Bush says, In the normal course of events, Presidents come to this
chamber to report on the state of the Union. Tonight, no such report is needed. It has already
been delivered by the American people. Bush uses the bandwagon appeal to show he agrees
with the American people by stating his address has already been spoken by the actions taken by
the people of the nation. He is implying the state of the nation is strong and will be able to get
through this tragedy.
September 11 will always be remembered by the American people as a tragedy and the
day freedom was attacked. President Bush, in his Joint Session Address, hopes to combat the
fears and insecurities of the American people by giving them a sense of comfort on that day in
history. He achieves this comfort by using his knowledge of history, ethical juxtaposition
between radical terrorists and Muslims, and bandwagon appeal to demonstrate the strength of
America and her people.

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Work(s) Cited
This is where my sources start.