Manufacturing patriotism: identifying the tools of white house rhetoric on war

Abstract

Events of September 11 have spawned uncritical rhetoric of patriotism and militarism across America. Political-military lexicon coming out of the White House has used terms in particular ways to produce particular effects on, and responses from, the American public. Terms such as 'good and evil' , freedom and justice' , 'terrorism and jihad , 'civilization and barbarism' are made to have effects beyond their meanings in order to garner undivided loyalty and support for military action. The binary logic expressed in the dualism of 'either with us or against us' has prompted an unprecedented show of patriotic feelings probably constructed on the overwhelming desire not to be seen to be on the wrong side. This paper examines how , in times of crisis, language can have consequences that are concrete, immediate and far-reaching. Specifically, this paper examines some key speeches made by the White House to identify the discursive strategies employed for such a purpose.