Intention

In this section of the study guide, we will discuss Barack Obama’s intentions with his statement on the shooting in Oregon delivered on 1st of October, 2015.

Obama’s main intention with the speech is to convince the American people of the urgency of adopting laws meant to reduce gun violence. For this, he uses words with negative connotations to highlight the importance of acting and not only resorting to prayers:

But as I said just a few months ago, and I said a few months before that, and I said each time we see one of these mass shootings, our thoughts and prayers are not enough. It’s not enough. It does not capture the heartache and grief and anger that we should feel. And it does nothing to prevent this carnage from being inflicted someplace else in America -- next week, or a couple of months from now. (ll. 22-29)

Obama’s intention is also to argue against pro-gun organizations (mainly the National Rifle Association) that claim that gun control laws need to be reduced and that Americans need more guns:

Right now, I can imagine the press releases being cranked out: We need more guns, they’ll argue. Fewer gun safety laws. Does anybody really believe that? There are scores of responsible gun owners in this country --they know that's not true. (ll. 58-63)

There is a gun for roughly every man, woman, and child in America. So how can you, with a straight face, make the argument that more guns will make us safer? (ll. 67-69)

In the examples above, Obama relies on rhetorical devices...