Response of Arundhati Roy's speech “Instant-Mix Imperial Democracy. Buy One Get One Free”

Hi, I'm Candradewi, I'm a student at English Language Teaching Department in SWCU . In this section, I will share about my response of Arundhati Roy's speech. This was one of  my assignments when I took American Culture and Literature Class in the previous semester , I had to give a narrative response toward  Arundhati Roy's speech in a form of journal , so this was my response . check it out:

Response of Arundhati Roy's speech “Instant-Mix Imperial Democracy. Buy One Get One Free”  

“George Bush the Lesser’’ is one of the sarcastic phrase in  Arundhati Roy’s speech in biting the US government under George Bush leadership. I like the way Roy critique the US in her speech. She looks relax when delivering her speech. Furthermore, she is brave and firm to share her point of views toward the US policy in invading the Middle East country, especially in Iraq. She gives high quality speech, because she is not only yelling in the sarcastic way without any reason, but she also provides some facts events related to the US invasion in Iraq. Moreover, her speech is further focus on the relation between the US invasion in Iraq, US and Sadam Hussein, George Bush and Donal Rumsfeld response, also the US news media.

            Furthermore, I found many pieces of sarcastic way in her speech.  I will share some of my finding. First sarcastic term is when she gave the title of her speech   “Instant-Mix Imperial Democracy. Buy One Get One Free”, it refers to a critique for the US government. The entire people in the world know that US is a democratic nation. However, the US transform into half Imperial nation instantly through Bush’ power by invading other countries. Bush seems like being a dictator by using his power as the US president to ask the US army do the invasion in Iraq, and then control the authority in Iraq.  Also, she critiques George Bush’s comment “ I will never apologize for the United States. I don’t care what the facts are” on the USS Vincennes incident by stating that the Bush’ comment is a maxim. When she repeat the comment ‘ I don’t care what the facts are’ , then  she say : ‘what a perfect maxim for the New America Empire’.  It means that Roy want to emphasize that Bush’s comment is only a maxim, not the real meaning. There is a secret behind Bush’s comment. Based on Roy’s view point, the real meaning of ‘I don’t care what the facts are’ is ‘The facts can be whatever we want them to be’.

            Another sarcastic phrase is when she says “George Bush the Lesser”, then her audiences laugh loudly. Roy says it because she wants response the Bush’s words related to invasion in Iraq: “it would be suicidal for the US not to attack Iraq”. In other word, it can be conclude that Bush is a lesser who doesn’t give a wise option to his people. He only gives unpleasant option which is a must to attack Iraq. Therefore, he tend to be love a war.

            The awesome sarcastic part in her speech is when she says “The United States Can Do Whatever The Hell Wants, And That’s Official”. She has some reason to answer the question ‘why does she say like that way?”. The reason are  she is so despise for the US news media which doctrine  the Americans by their  insinuation news, especially when the media did a survey of American public who believed that 9/11 attacks on WTC and the Pentagon was Sadam Hussein responsibility. Then the news also reported that 55% American believed that Al-Qaeda was supported by Sadam Hussein. Based on that news, Americans seems to be provoked to give support to invasion in Iraq. In short, it means that the US can do what they want in many ways, as long as the result is the best for US government.

            At last but not the least, my favorite biting part of Roy’s speech is in her statement about “Empire is on the move, and Democracy is its sly new war cry. Democracy, home-delivered to your doorstep by daisy-cutters. Death is a small price for people to pay for the privilege of sampling this new product: Instant-Mix Imperial Democracy (bring to a boil, add oil, then bomb)”. This is the best part of her speech in giving critique to the US.  Implicitly, she wants the US government realize that the US is democratic nation not Imperial, and the US should stop the war. All in all, the US government under Bush’ leadership must apply the World Peace without a war.