The President and Congress
On March 8, 1983, Ronald Reagan delivered his Evil Empire speech; written for the National Association of Evangelicals. Yet Reagan’s speech applied to the majority of working-class Americans and remains immensely relevant in contemporary polity. The speech, originally titled Remarks at the Annual Convention of the National Association of Evangelicals; occurred “in the Citrus Crown Ballroom at the Sheraton Twin Towers Hotel,” (Kengor, P., p. 102; ReaganLibrary).
Employing humor to open his speech, his initial remarks provide a lighthearted rhetoric; softening the palette for more contentious issues. Reagan was skilled in appealing to the specific interests of his audience, both in humor and sincerity. Ronald Reagan utilized specific stages of emotion to gain the attention of his audience.
Reagan’s Rhetoric
Here, Reagan’s language began with subtle diplomacy “now, I don’t have to tell you;” “perhaps some of you;” and “you may remember;” (Kengor, P., p. 113). Reagan held a presupposition that his audience was educated, and well-informed; allowing him to remain authoritative in his delivery. Reagan’s soft entrance allowed him to follow with powerful calls to action. Reagan spoke on the importance of patriotism; noting “I urge you to speak out against those who would place the United States in a position of military and moral inferiority;” and “I ask you to resist the attempts of those who would have you withhold your support for our efforts . . . to keep America strong and free;” (Kengor, P., p. 113).
Ronald Reagan spoke on the threat of the Soviet Union to America’s traditional way of life; focusing on the leadership of the Soviet Union and its Godless belief system. Here, Reagan was able to gain the advantage of discussing his own policy interests, while gaining support of the National Association of Evangelicals.
Moreover, Reagan’s words resonate beyond their venue; calling for specific objectives, tasking specific sectors to carry out his actions. Reagan’s solution was a declaration of public faith, placing his presidential reputation on the line, he assured his constituents that, “I believe we shall rise to the challenge,” (Kengor, P., p.113). Similarly, Reagan’s speech comports with the Old Testament, whereby decreeing that “[y]ou can make many plans, but the LORD’s purpose will prevail, Proverbs 19:21 (NLT). Reagan’s reliance on God to guide the nation remained the central point of his leadership.
Decrying communism as “another sad, bizarre chapter in human history whose last pages even now are being written,” (Kengor, P., p.113). Reagan reminded the NAE, “[f]or in the words of Isaiah: ‘He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might He increased strength . . . But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; the shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary . . .” (Kengor, P., p. 113).
Calling for unanimity, Reagan concluded that, “[w]e can do it, doing together what no one church could do by itself. God bless you and thank you very much,” (Kengor, P., p. 114). Reagan’s words remain a powerful utterance of belief in the foundations of our nation and its resiliency to stand opposed to tyranny by the system that was created.
The Founding Fathers’ Intentions
The Framers were clear in their intentions to create a system that precluded despotic autonomy—yet formalized the Constitution to both recognize and preserve of man’s inherent rights, whilst operating under the observation of a moral natural law. Reagan’s message returned focus to the meaning of his authority, rather than displaying his power through demonstration.
Reagan aligned his rhetoric to the moral aptitudes of his audience; and avoided any imposing coercive conditioning or divisive demagoguery. Reagan was cognitive of the Founding Fathers’ system of a sustainable government; one that did not cater its political agenda to culture, but the benevolence of its citizens.
Although Reagan’s Evil Empire speech was originally written by Tony Dolan, who noted that the speech was “totally” and “completely” Reagan, (Kengor, P., p. 115). Despite Reagan having a speechwriter; upon observation of the president’s edits, it’s clear that he was a co-writer. Reagan rejected nearly half of the original content, crossing out entire pages; and ultimately added an extra page of his own material. Moreover, Reagan added small edits throughout the speech, thereby further Reganizing it to better address his audience in a personal manner.
One notable feature are the first words of the original speech; “Nancy and I are delighted to be here today” was revised to read “I am delighted to be here today,” (Kengor, P., p. 116). One reason this was changed, was likely due to the occurrence three sentences later thanking the audience for their prayers, reading, “Nancy and I have felt their presence many times in many ways,” (Kengor, P., 116).
But another significant aspect of this revision was likely Reagan’s willingness to take responsibility for his decisions, as chief of the executive. Reagan’s use of the letter “I” began his speech with an obligation, personal accountability, and the willingness to delegate power; rather than “love, humility, and family” as the first version of the speech originally began. The entrance of his wording—“I”—reveals that Reagan held reverence in his position as president, rather than cultivating a fictitious identity under the pretext of temporal culture.
Conclusion
Overall, Reagan’s message was indicative of his character to the extent that he was willing to place his reputation on the line for his personal faith; simultaneously, Reagan was able to aptly apply executive decisions rooted in Biblical doctrine as remedies for political obstacles. Reagan was mindful of his audience, his message, and the impact of his words on the posterity of America. Ronald Reagan's Evil Empire speech is a reminder that faith is an essential component of any society—that action is defined by persuasion and the willingness to engage with the attention of the citizenry.
Bibliography
Kengor, P. (2014). 11 Principles of a Reagan Conservative. [VitalSource Bookshelf 10.3.1]. Retrieved from vbk://9780825306587
NLT. Proverbs 19:21