The theme of the first night of the Republican National Convention was safety, but given the content of the speeches and the crowd’s reaction, a more accurate theme would have been fear.
The list of speakers included former Texas Governor Rick Perry, Senator Jeff Sessions of Alabama, and Melania Trump, but former mayor of New York Rudy Giuliani delivered the evening’s most significant speech.
Giuliani walked on stage and stood before a screen displaying the words “Make America Safe Again.” After thanking the crowd, Giuliani began his speech about safety and the future of America. But Giuliani’s speech did not offer solutions or present facts to the zealous crowd before him. Instead it revealed the true theme of the night, the overall theme of the Trump campaign, and the direction of the Republican Party as a whole.
At various points throughout his speech, Giuliani began screaming the words on the teleprompter, raising his fists, and authoritatively asserting his claim that the safety of America has been shattered, without offering any evidence, the way only a hypocritical draft dodger turned martinet can. But even without any facts to support his unrestrained, accusatory speech, he convinced the crowd which responded with uproarious applause and cheering. Giuliani succeeded in making them fear their fellow Americans.
Giuliani’s speech at the RNC was not the first time that he had inspired fear and hatred in his audience. As mayor of New York, Giuliani employed racist, discriminatory, and vindictive policing tactics in an attempt to create a city bent solely on maintaining order, no matter the consequences. In his acrimonious 1994 speech on crime entitled “Freedom is About Authority,” Giuliani professed that in order to prevent violent crimes, all minor offenses must be strictly punished. His speech placed all emphasis on order and safety, but made no mention of justice, and almost overnight New York became a penal colony for poor and minority communities.
To Giuliani, 2016 might as well be 1994. At the RNC, he asserted that “what I did for New York City, Donald Trump will do for America.” An America governed in the shadow of Giuliani’s New York is a circle of hell even Dante would find difficult to envision.
Giuliani continued on to say that, “Donald Trump is the agent of change, and he will be the leader of the change we need,” but would not follow these words to explain what kind of change it is that we need.
In language similar to that in his 1994 speech, Giuliani said that in order to “hold us together as a country,” we must “make America one again.” But one what? Here his language is intentionally vague, and it plays to the audience’s broadest swathe of law and order fantasies.
Giuliani’s autocratic personality was on display for all to see—even his mannerisms were reminiscent of fascists past—and the crowd loved it. His speech, emblematic of the dictatorial direction of the Republican Party and the draconian new face that now leads it, manipulated the anger of a willing crowd.
ZWG
The list of speakers included former Texas Governor Rick Perry, Senator Jeff Sessions of Alabama, and Melania Trump, but former mayor of New York Rudy Giuliani delivered the evening’s most significant speech.
Giuliani walked on stage and stood before a screen displaying the words “Make America Safe Again.” After thanking the crowd, Giuliani began his speech about safety and the future of America. But Giuliani’s speech did not offer solutions or present facts to the zealous crowd before him. Instead it revealed the true theme of the night, the overall theme of the Trump campaign, and the direction of the Republican Party as a whole.
At various points throughout his speech, Giuliani began screaming the words on the teleprompter, raising his fists, and authoritatively asserting his claim that the safety of America has been shattered, without offering any evidence, the way only a hypocritical draft dodger turned martinet can. But even without any facts to support his unrestrained, accusatory speech, he convinced the crowd which responded with uproarious applause and cheering. Giuliani succeeded in making them fear their fellow Americans.
Giuliani’s speech at the RNC was not the first time that he had inspired fear and hatred in his audience. As mayor of New York, Giuliani employed racist, discriminatory, and vindictive policing tactics in an attempt to create a city bent solely on maintaining order, no matter the consequences. In his acrimonious 1994 speech on crime entitled “Freedom is About Authority,” Giuliani professed that in order to prevent violent crimes, all minor offenses must be strictly punished. His speech placed all emphasis on order and safety, but made no mention of justice, and almost overnight New York became a penal colony for poor and minority communities.
To Giuliani, 2016 might as well be 1994. At the RNC, he asserted that “what I did for New York City, Donald Trump will do for America.” An America governed in the shadow of Giuliani’s New York is a circle of hell even Dante would find difficult to envision.
Giuliani continued on to say that, “Donald Trump is the agent of change, and he will be the leader of the change we need,” but would not follow these words to explain what kind of change it is that we need.
In language similar to that in his 1994 speech, Giuliani said that in order to “hold us together as a country,” we must “make America one again.” But one what? Here his language is intentionally vague, and it plays to the audience’s broadest swathe of law and order fantasies.
Giuliani’s autocratic personality was on display for all to see—even his mannerisms were reminiscent of fascists past—and the crowd loved it. His speech, emblematic of the dictatorial direction of the Republican Party and the draconian new face that now leads it, manipulated the anger of a willing crowd.
ZWG