Johnson introduces his argument by calling for a sense of American spirit and bringing himself down from his status of a great leader to the level of one of the people in order to emotionally call the American citizens to action, together as one united nation, to fight the discrimination occurring in the country. He highlights the idea that “there is no Negro problem,” “there is no Southern problem,” and “there is no Northern problem,” there is only “an American problem” (Johnson). By using the anaphora “there is no..” followed by groups of people, Johnson emphasize the idea that the issue of equal rights does not belong with one group of people, but their great country as a whole. He therefore unifies all Americans of different groups and backgrounds under one common identity, pleading that they put aside their differences and come together to solve the problem plaguing the nation. By connecting them under one common goal, he not only evokes patriotism, but causes his audience to see that their great country is faced with a threat to its basic principle that “all men are created equal” causing them to condemn the mistreatment of black Americans (Johnson).…
