Essays On Freedom
The path to freedom has not been an easy one; there have been many ups and downs to get America to where it is today. On this journey there have been many people to help push freedom along, and also those who have hindered this journey. As Thomas Jefferson said, and later, John F. Kennedy echoed, the spread of freedom abroad was powered by ‘the force of right and reason’ and with those trying to hinder freedom were said to be unreasonable men. With freedom being different to each person, many problems arise from these diverse opinions. Through the example America has set, many countries have strived to attain the same freedoms. With this liberty, it becomes a great amount of responsibility to the American people to keep this freedom alive; although many go unnoticed, their impact is still there. Without the bravery and loyalty of Franklin D. Roosevelt, Barbara Johns, the contrasting effects of the Ku Klux Klan, and people who both impacted and hindered progression like Howard W. Smith; the freedom of America would not be the same.
Franklin D. Roosevelt served as the 32nd President of the United States; he served four terms in office during his political career. Being the President during the Great Depression had its many difficulties, but how he conquered these problems is the reason he is often thought as one of the greatest U.S. presidents. Deep in the Great Depression, the government was no longer run by the people, but by those hungry for wealth and power. One of Roosevelt’s promises was that he would balance the economy with his New Deal plan. The New Deal was a series of programs and projects, including the Federal Emergency Relief Administration, the Public Works Administration, and the Civil Works Administration. With the New Deal, the relationship between the government and the U.S. citizens changed dramatically. With this great unbalance of power, the American people’s freedoms were taken from them, and the people voices had little influence on the government. To a crowd at Madison Square Garden, Roosevelt stated: āI should like to have it said of my first Administration that in it the forces of selfishness and of lust for power met their match, and I should like to have it said of my second Administration that in it these forces have met their master.ā Though the New Deal had its setbacks and didn’t turn out exactly the way that he desired, his impact was still known.
Barbara Johns, a strong, sixteen year-old girl, didn’t let her age hold her back from speaking her mind. She led a group of four hundred black students to protest inadequate facilities at the segregated Robert R. Moton High School in Farmville, Virginia. With this stand, she followed in the footsteps of her uncle, who was one of the fathers of the Civil Rights Movement. The NAACP agreed to file a lawsuit, Davis v. Prince Edward County, after Johns and another student wrote to them about the conflict. The students boycotted the high school until the local all-white School Board addressed their own complaints. With this protest and four other similar cases, including the famous Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas, these efforts ultimately helped persuade the Supreme Courtās decision in 1954 to outlaw public school segregation.
The Ku Klux Klan is one of the most well-known white supremacy organizations against the civil rights of African Americans. The group did not shy away from violence; they were known for the burning of crosses and staging rallies, parades, and marches denouncing immigrants, Catholics, Jews, blacks, and organized labor. The number of members in the organization was not low, and nationwide, they exceeded 4 million members. The passing of the 14th Amendment, which granted citizenship to all people born in the United States, assisted in protecting victims of this group. This didn’t stop the group completely, but it did greatly help prevent the severity of their doings. After 1870, Republican state governments in the South turned to Congress for help, resulting in the passage of three Enforcement Acts, the strongest of which was the Ku Klux Klan Act of 1871. These Acts were influential in preventing discrimination and the outright violence against minority groups in the U.S., assisting in granting more liberty to them.
Even after winning the right to vote in 1920 by the 19th Amendment, very little improvement was made for women’s rights and equality. Howard W. Smith, former chairman of the U.S. House Rules Committee, saw womenās issues and sought out to amend the Civil Rights Act. When Smith added sex to the list of forms of discrimination prohibited by the act, feminist activists were overjoyed. Though Smith helped in the case for civil rights for women, Smith was less concerned with the original premise of the bill: the civil rights of African Americans. His main efforts with amending the Civil Rights Act were geared toward women. Smith was trying to delay the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, two days before the vote, in order to get āsexā included into the protected class and help stop gender inequality. He was perceived as just attempting to prevent the bill from passing and defeating the whole thing altogether. The bill was passed, and women’s rights were further protected, due to Smithās efforts.
With all of these influential people, and even the more inferior figures in American history, American citizensā freedoms have progressed in many ways. Although some were negative, each event made Americans more resilient and caused people to support each other in their quest for freedom. There might never be true freedom, but when the government has too much power over the people, the country slides backwards. By working together as citizens and using our voices in our democracy, just as figures like Barbara Johns and Franklin D. Roosevelt did, we get ever closer to the āAmerican Dreamā of freedom that Americans are proud of.
1. What are three status symbols found in the movie? – Erinās pearls symbolize the wealth of her father, being as they were a gift from him. – Erinās wedding ring symbolizes that she is married. – The tattoos on the Holocaust survivorās arms symbolize their status as Jew. 2. Which character(s) experienced role conflict? […]
Philosopher Daniel Dennett’s intellectual career has been spent trying to extend the Enlightenment project of putting philosophy and morality on a scientific and naturalistic basis. His newest book, Freedom Evolves tries to answer the age-old question: Can there be freedom and free will in a deterministic world? Dennett is trying to update David Hume in […]
Democracy gives people the freedom to do things his way within the bounds of the state. Democracy is often the most desired goal of every nation. It can uniquely become an instrument of freedom if it allows the people meaningful voting choices during elections and if democracy warrants that the people have the nonpartisan and […]
Cry freedom is effective in illustrating the prominent issues in South Africa during the apartheid era through cinematic techniques. the film title itself is an immediate indication of the the restrictions placed upon freedom, and the deprivation of basic human rights and social justice in black society. the protagonists- Donald woods and Steve Biko- are […]
The Bridge at Andau by James Michener tells the true story of the Hungarian revolution in 1956. A popular historian and novelist, Michenerās account of the Hungarian uprising awakens the reader to the shocking plight of millions who suffered the iron fist of communism and Soviet puppet leadership. The revolution was a rebellion of students […]
Although the Thirteenth Amendment had outlawed slavery, it was clear that the Black codes were stilled a problem to many freedmen. The Black codes, which passed soon after the Civil War ended, helped maintain a cheap source of farm labor and sustained the social hierarchy. These codes made it illegal for African Americans to carry […]
The media ownership regulations in the UK strive to ensure diversity and flexibility for companies to expand, innovate, and invest. Diversity is vital in a democratic society as it enables consumers to access different news sources, information, and viewpoints. At the same time, granting companies some degree of flexibility encourages competition, leading to improved program […]
In today’s modern society, there are many social point of view is about animals. Moreover, should animals in the zoo become a focus view. Also some people think that zoos are cruel, and as such should be banned. Above all, a great argument from supporters of zoos. They claim that animals in the zoo are […]
Osama Bin Laden claimed responsibility for the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon in a video released on October 7, 2001, less than a month after the acts of terror. Operation Enduring Freedom, which marked the beginning of the war on terror, saw American troops being sent to Afghanistan […]
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The Civil Rights Movement was an era devoted to activism for equal rights and treatment of African Americans in the United States. During this period, people rallied for social, legal, political and cultural changes to prohibit discrimination and end segregation. Civil rights are defined as “the nonpolitical rights of a citizen; especially those guaranteed to […]
Frantz Fanonās Reciprocal of National culture and Fight for Freedom is all about how Fanon describes the relationship between the struggle for independence and peopleās culture. It speaks about how the vital culture is in the mold of the history. Culture plays an important role in shaping the people in how they are to behave […]
Freedom means different things to different people. Freedom can encompass the philosophical idea of being free but it can also encompass the physical act of being free to pursue oneās desires. In other words, one can feel free from worry, fear or debt and/or realize their freedom to choose their own life path. The philosophical […]
In order to establish when it is justifiable for a government to interfere with an individual’s freedom it is necessary to establish first what that ‘freedom’ is. Although ‘freedom’ is a popular political slogan, its definition has always been a source of confusion and conflict for political theorists. A reasonable starting-point, however, is that suggested […]
When determining whether the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms is democratic or antidemocratic, one may find trouble coming to a conclusion. Although the Charter does provide an underlying framework for legal standards, it has been interpreted in many different ways. Two Canadian University professors have chosen to share their opposing opinions on the matter. […]
Native American Transition to Freedom American History Since 1865 Prof. December America was a very trying country in the mid 1800ās especially regarding the treatment of indigenous people such as the Native Americans. It is a known fact that much of America was inhabited by indigenous people, the Native American Indians, prior to the arrival […]
Amjadi Bano begum, who is also referred to as ‘The Woman Behind The Revolution’, had a significant part in the freedom struggle. Her courage and resolve in the political sphere before independence were notable. She was wedded to Maulana Muhammad Ali Johar, reflecting their mutual enthusiasm for the liberation movement. As Azmat Ali Khan’s daughter, […]
Chapter One *Pg. 3 1. According to Adam Smith the discovery and colonization of America affected the economic development by the increase of its enjoyments and augmentation. The surplus produce of America, imported into Europe, furnished the inhabitants of this great continent with a variety of commodities. 2. By uniting these countries they are also […]
How far should the right to Freedom of Speech extend? Are there instances where this right should be limited? Use specific examples in your essay. According to the U. S. Constitution, The First Amendment protects the right to freedom of religion and freedom of expression from government interference. Freedom of expression consists of the rights […]
The film “The Freedom Writers” is a dramatized version of Erin Gruwell’s real-life experience teaching English at Wilson High School, a diverse school with students from various racial and cultural backgrounds. As a newly appointed teacher, she is assigned the group of students with the lowest academic performance. Many of these students are affiliated with […]
Since its establishment in 1949, China’s media control by the Chinese Communist Party (ICP) has undergone several changes. Initially, the ICP sought to eliminate dissenting voices that could disrupt stability. However, as economic liberalization took place, the media became more commercialized and decentralized. This shift forced the ICP to develop new strategies for monitoring public […]
The term ‘consumer’ is used to describe the way society is today, in the same sense as we lived in an industrial society before this. The life we live is based around the activity of consuming in many ways, so much that we have come to live in a ‘consumer society. When it comes to […]
