The discussion of the ethics and righteousness of statues honoring the Confederacy has struck deep racial division in many parts of the country. New Orleans, given its prominent history involving slavery, is an epicenter of this divide. Mitch Landrieu’s speech serves to provide reasoning for why the statues are a problem and why it is important that they are removed. He accomplishes clarity in this purpose by providing context to why this is matter which must be discussed, how the statues are historically deceptive, and what the monuments detract from New Orleans and its future. In order for his speech to be effective, Mitch Landrieu must create context for why his speech is necessary. Landrieu begins his speech with a positive and unifying
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It is critical that he accentuate this point in order for the people of New Orleans to give him credibility and trust. Before any progress can be made “[he must] try to gently peel from your hands the grip on a false narrative of our history.” The inclusion of the words gently and peel indicate that this will be a slow and hard process which has to be done delicately. This kind of change in society does not happen quickly and “taking down the monuments is going to be tough.” Despite this, however, he wants to create a “better future for ourselves” by making this endeavor. Landrieu reiterates all the wonderful things New Orleans has to offer. He praises it as “[radiating] beauty and grace in … food, … music, … everything that we do.” This is the New Orleans which Landrieu wants to protect and expose the nation to. A change in New Orleans could “let us help the rest of the country do the same … [and] make this the City we always should have been...” Landrieu finishes his speech on an optimistic tone that the improvements made now will not only help New Orleans, but the rest of the country as well for many years to come; it embraces Landrieu’s message of New Orleans’ ability to improve. Landrieu’s purpose in his speech is to explain why the removal of the Confederate statues was necessary. He establishes the context of those statues and the dark history they do not simply represent,
It is critical that he accentuate this point in order for the people of New Orleans to give him credibility and trust. Before any progress can be made “[he must] try to gently peel from your hands the grip on a false narrative of our history.” The inclusion of the words gently and peel indicate that this will be a slow and hard process which has to be done delicately. This kind of change in society does not happen quickly and “taking down the monuments is going to be tough.” Despite this, however, he wants to create a “better future for ourselves” by making this endeavor. Landrieu reiterates all the wonderful things New Orleans has to offer. He praises it as “[radiating] beauty and grace in … food, … music, … everything that we do.” This is the New Orleans which Landrieu wants to protect and expose the nation to. A change in New Orleans could “let us help the rest of the country do the same … [and] make this the City we always should have been...” Landrieu finishes his speech on an optimistic tone that the improvements made now will not only help New Orleans, but the rest of the country as well for many years to come; it embraces Landrieu’s message of New Orleans’ ability to improve. Landrieu’s purpose in his speech is to explain why the removal of the Confederate statues was necessary. He establishes the context of those statues and the dark history they do not simply represent,