With the remnants of the Cold War lingering, the United States of America defined itself as a superpower in a politically polarized climate, both domestically and internationally. The AIDS epidemic swept the nation completely, dividing people and stigmatizing groups to the point of exclusion in American life. At the Democratic National Convention in July 1992, Elizabeth Glaser pleads to the American public and its leaders of the need for forward progress in the fight against AIDS in the United States. She destigmatizes the disease as a plague only affecting certain minority groups, presenting her personal account living with the disease through her ingrained American values and repetition of faith in her country. Two months later, at the Republican National Convention, Mary Fisher articulates her AIDS experience, connecting with her audience of the epidemic’s transformation into a tragedy and its sudden reality affecting ordinary aspects of American life. These two women present to the United States a call to action, utilizing their kairotic moment, and stressing the framework of the strong institution the American government claims itself to be. Glaser’s and Fisher’s speeches work within a narrative paradigm foundation to stress the health and well-being of the American people and the ignorance of the American value depletion, calling for citizen partnership towards a progressive future. 

Speech Outline: 

• Introduce Elizabeth Glaser’s speech briefly and its setting 
  • Show a 30 second to 1 minute clip of the speech 
• Move on the rhetorical situation surrounding her speech 

• • Political climate, including both domestic and foreign 
  • Audience, the demographics and populations targeted 
  • Her own role as a representative of the AIDS epidemic (establishment of trust) 
• Discuss the narrative framework Glaser builds upon  

• • Living with the condition and its affects in her life 
  • Acknowledgement of the ignorance stigmatizing AIDS 

• Point to Glaser’s call to action for the United States 
  • Repetition of beliefs in the America she once knew 
  • Need for politicians to take charge and listen to their constituents 
  • What the future of the nation should look like 
  • How the American dream and its value have depleted 

• Conclude with her reminder of American values 

• • Government’s purpose in the health and well-being of its citizens