Thursday, December 21, 2017

[210] ‘MTSU On the Record’ finds proper words in ‘American Rhetorical Excellence’


MURFREESBORO — The words that have changed the United States and their authors are the subjects of the next “MTSU On the Record” radio program.

Host Gina Logue’s interview with Perry Cotham, a lecturer in the Department of Communication Studies and Organizational Communication, will air from 9:30 to 10 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 12, and from 6 to 6:30 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 17, on WMOT-FM Roots Radio 89.5 and www.wmot.org.

Cotham is the author of “American Rhetorical Excellence: 101 Public Addresses That Shaped the Nation’s History and Culture.” Cotham also includes examples of poor rhetoric from such historical figures as Father Charles Coughlin and U.S. Sen. Joseph McCarthy.

“Some of these demagogues start out espousing one point of view, and they’re not going very far with it,” said Cotham. “Then they begin to sort of throw out another point of view that gets some reception. But in time, enough intelligent people come along and say, ‘Wait a minute! Enough of this!’”

Among Cotham’s top 10 speeches are Abraham Lincoln’s 1863 Gettysburg Address and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s address at the 1963 March on Washington, commonly referred to as the “I Have a Dream” speech.

To hear previous “MTSU On the Record” programs, go to http://bit.ly/mtsu-otr.

For more information, contact Logue at 615-898-5081 or WMOT-FM at 615-898-2800.


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