Audience

In this section, we will talk about the audience of Barack Obama’s remarks on reducing gun violence, including the wider audience who watched the speech through different types of media.

Barack Obama delivered his speech on 8th of April, 2013, at the University of Hartford, Connecticut, in response to the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting that took place in December 2012. Obama mainly addresses the people of Connecticut, the families of the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, as well as several politicians who were present.

You should note that in the video, the live audience (mostly made up of people who had been closely affected by the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary) appears to agree with Obama, cheering, applauding, and chanting in response to his words.

As Obama’s speech was transmitted live by several television networks and shared on social media, his address could be heard by the entire US nation. This is important because Obama’s request for people to pressure their local members of Congress into passing the legislative reforms would only be effective if it were done by people all over the country.

First, Obama addresses the people of Connecticut and praises them for taking the first measures for gun control laws to be passed in their state: “So I want to be clear. You, the families of Newtown, people across Connecticut, you helped make that happen. Your voices, your determination made that happen.” (ll. 82-85)

He also addresses the families of the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School...