Assignment 6- Equal Rights

Shylene Mejia

Class: POL 166

Professor: Barry Murdaco

Lehman College

Assignment 6- Equal Rights 

             The assigned reading for the week of 10/31/15 were Frederick Douglass’s 1852 "What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?” and T.H Marshall’s 1949 "Citizenship and Social Class”.

In this discussion, I will discuss an excerpt of Douglass’s piece. Frederick Douglass addressed in a speech the state of the nation on 4th of July, 1852, he states:

          

“ “At the very moment that they are thanking God for the enjoyment of civil and religious liberty, and for the right to worship God according to the dictates of their own consciences, they are utterly silent in respect to a law which robs religion of its chief significance and makes it utterly worthless to a world lying in wickedness. Did this law concern the "mint, anise, and cummin"-abridge the right to sing psalms, to partake of the sacrament, or to engage in any of the ceremonies of religion, it would be smitten by the thunder of a thousand pulpits. A general shout would go up from the church demanding repeal, repeal, instant repeal!-And it would go hard with that politician who presumed to so licit the votes of the people without inscribing this motto on his banner. Further, if this demand were not complied with, another Scotland would be added to the history of religious liberty, and the stern old covenanters would be thrown into the shade. A John Knox would be seen at every church door and heard from every pulpit, and Fillmore would have no more quarter than was shown by Knox to the beautiful, but treacherous, Queen Mary of Scotland. The fact that the church of our country (with fractional exceptions) does not esteem "the Fugitive Slave Law" as a declaration of war against religious liberty, implies that that church regards religion simply as a form of worship, an empty ceremony, and not a vital principle, requiring active benevolence, justice, love, and good will towards man. It esteems sacrifice above mercy; psalm-singing above right doing; solemn meetings above practical righteousness. A worship that can be conducted by persons who refuse to give shelter to the houseless, to give bread to the hungry, clothing to the naked, and who enjoin obedience to a law forbidding these acts of mercy is a curse, not a blessing to mankind. The Bible addresses all such persons as "scribes, pharisees, hypocrites, who pay tithe ofÝ mint, anise, and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith.” ”

             I am in strong agreement with the Honorable Frederic Douglass. In this excerpt,  Douglass notes the hypocrisy of the United States at the time branding Independence Day, as the day they became free from British rule when slaves are still held captive. He in this speech said many truths of were humanity and government stands in contrary to the reality of what was happening in many states of the south. This speech highlights to me what men and women are capable of doing when told by their government. If slavery violated the humanity of the people and took a war to dismantle it, imagine other offense the government creates that are not particularly affecting our conscious. I can only imagine the challenge a citizen faces when against the system for minor/ major offenses that do not affect our soul but are yet challenging to our every day lives such as mass incarceration of the USA population. 

           I choose this paragraph because as I read this speech. I noted the way humans are pack animals. We try to congregate, organize and we can be so mislead by groups and our environment to do wrong. I say this because slavery was obviously wrong, but the people were desensitized and placed moral values before monetary gain. The majority of churches commission of “the fugitive slave law” further illustrates my perception.  We still see this form of desensitization occurring today with the wars that we are blind to in the name of oil or power gain.  We must definitely pray for humanity because we continue to prove to be destructive. I am one to believe, there is good people but get “watered down” by the bad ones.

References

Douglass, F. (1852, July 5). The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro by Frederick Douglass.        Retrieved October 31, 2015, from http://www.historyisaweapon.com/defcon1/douglassjuly4.html

Assignment 5 Fundamental American Liberties

Shylene Mejia

Class: POL 166

Professor: Barry Murdaco

Lehman College

Assignment 5  Fundamental American Liberties 

             The assigned reading for the week of 10/24/15 were Henry David Thoreau’s 1848 “Civil Disobedience”,  Elizabeth Cady Stanton’s 1848 "Declaration of Rights and Sentiments”, and Frederick Douglass’s 1855 "A Lecture on the Anti-Slavery Movement”. In this discussion, I will discuss an excerpt of Thoreau’s piece. Thoreau states in  “Civil Disobedience”:  

          

“ “ Under a government which imprisons any unjustly, the true place for a just man is also a prison. The proper place to-day, the only place which Massachusetts has provided for her freer and less desponding spirits, is in her prisons, to be put out and locked out of the State by her own act, as they have already put themselves out by their principles. It is there that the fugitive slave, and the Mexican prisoner on parole, and the Indian come to plead the wrongs of his race, should find them; on that separate, but more free and honorable ground, where the State places those who are not with her, but against her — the only house in a slave State in which a free man can abide with honor. If any think that their influence would be lost there, and their voices no longer afflict the ear of the State, that they would not be as an enemy within its walls, they do not know by how much truth is stronger than error, nor how much more eloquently and effectively he can combat injustice who has experienced a little in his own person. Cast your whole vote, not a strip of paper merely, but your whole influence. A minority is powerless while it conforms to the majority; it is not even a minority then; but it is irresistible when it clogs by its whole weight. If the alternative is to keep all just men in prison, or give up war and slavery, the State will not hesitate which to choose. If a thousand men were not to pay their tax-bills this year, that would not be a violent and bloody measure, as it would be to pay them, and enable the State to commit violence and shed innocent blood. This is, in fact, the definition of a peaceable revolution, if any such is possible. If the tax-gatherer, or any other public officer, asks me, as one has done, "But what shall I do?" my answer is, "If you really wish to do anything, resign your office." When the subject has refused allegiance, and the officer has resigned his office, then the revolution is accomplished. But even suppose blood should flow. Is there not a sort of blood shed when the conscience is wounded? Through this wound a man's real manhood and immortality flow out, and he bleeds to an everlasting death. I see this blood flowing now.” ”

              I am in strong agreement with the first sentence. As the common perception is those who go to jail have done wrong and are further negatively labeled as criminals. As a population, we are taught to respect the law and not taught enough how to critically question it.  As a community or group many do not even give it two thoughts regarding what are people in jail for or question the judicial system we are under. The rhetoric states “We are in the land of the free”, but how free are we when minor offenses can land us in jail. There may be more liberties than in more conservative countries but we are not free. I speak of nonviolent “crimes” such as graffiti, parking violation, jay walking and so forth. The AfroAmerican community is aware of the faults of the judicial system but many new immigrants may not recognize the systems in place that can be detrimental to our communities. 

              I choose this paragraph because I have high hopes for the future. Many of the marginalized populations, are securing leaders to speak for them and advocate. I am for Bernie Sanders, because he speaks of a political revolution where people involve themselves in the change. We can all affect change, but an education is necessary to some extent.  There is a current debate regarding mass incarceration, decriminalizing marijuana, wealth inequality, and political awareness such as “black lives matter” movement which I believe are healthy to our country. 

References

Thoreau, H. (1948). Thoreau's Civil Disobedience - 2. Retrieved November 15, 2015, from      http://thoreau.eserver.org/civil2.html