AIDS

In 1992, Mary Fisher gave a speech about the blight of AIDS to the Republican National Convention. Fisher initiated her speech by saying “I want your attention, not your applause.” (1992) Fisher makes it immediately clear that the purpose of the speech is not to entertain but to inform. She was not there that day to only address Republicans, but to address all Americans about the blight of AIDS. At the very beginning of her speech she draws a connection between herself and every other person suffering from the deadly disease. It was important for her to not single a specific group that was inflicted with the condition but rather focus on all infected people. She does so by saying that she is there to “represent the entire AIDS community”. (Fisher, 1992) Fisher’s creditability is drawn from the very fact that she is infected with AIDS. She is there to tell her story and the story of millions living with the disease. And not only that but she states the obvious truth that anyone is susceptible to infection and that is why she is demanding that everyone take action to help prevent further infection. Fisher is powerful in drawing her audience in by making the disease personal and letting everyone know that they are not impervious to its reach. She makes very strong statements which reflect that AIDS does not discriminate between gender, race or sexual orientation. Fisher is doing her part to break the silence about the disease by bringing it into every Americans home, as their responsibility to help prevent and protect any further spread of AIDS.

Fisher, Mary. A whisper of AIDS. Republican national convention address. August 19th, 1992. Retrieved from www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/maryfisher1992rnc.html.

Hart, R.P., & Daughton, S.M. (2005). Modern rhetorical criticism (3rd ed.). (pp. 177-188) Boston: Pearson Education.