Some would have us believe that in our ever changing lives our constitution has lost its relevance; that it is not as relevant today as it was 200 years ago. Tell that to those who seek the freedoms of the United States, to those who have never had freedoms that all, to those who are persecuted for their beliefs, massacred because of their race, and silenced forever for speaking against their governments. Yes, it may be an old document but what it provides its citizens, it is a better alternative ever put forth and history, the fact that it works to this very day, is a testament not only to its relevance but indeed it's very necessity. The constitution provides its citizens with many benefits which include a stable foundation for government, the division of powers, limitations on the government, individual rights, and the idea of popular sovereignty. The foundation of our government's was meant to provide a stable infrastructure on which the governments and people could build upon.
However, in this "land of the free" and "home of the brave" that was founded on the premise set forth from our founding fathers in the birth cry of our nation, Declaration of Independence, that "All men are created equal", our legislation does not reflect that. Our court systems and our businesses are overrun with by legislation that is discriminatory itself, but its intent is to do just the opposite: prevent discrimination and prejudices. That legislation is Affirmative Action. The result of Affirmative action is continued unrest and resentment against the races and genders, and after forty years of practice. Affirmative Action never allows us to but the mistakes of our past behind us, rather it continues to stir issues of race to the surface and in the center of our mind.
The Disappearing Democracy of the United States For Americans, the word “democracy” itself is strong enough to conjure up notions of a nation unhindered by an oppressive government where citizens are able to engage in the freedom of speech, press, and religious choice and practice. So powerful are American pro-Democratic sentiments that it is a common thought that any other country that does not prescribe to a liberal democracy is somehow inferior. Yet as time marches on, the feelings of superiority by American citizens become more and more unfounded. For, right before our eyes, the very notion of democracy, that Americans become braggarts about, is disappearing. While the U.S. government boasts of the freedoms it affords its citizens, it corrupts such an image through repeated non-democratic actions.
The Bill of Rights—left untouched by meddling hands for almost 200 years—secures that grace; the freedoms that allegedly make America different from other countries. It is most certainly not a coincidence that the freedom of expression is the first inalienable right our forefathers chose to protect in the constitution. Unfortunately, our First Amendment is not able to protect itself. It seems as if certain politicians are preoccupied with other issues, such as the necessity of civilians owning assault rifles and exaggerating the size of American flags in classrooms. Now, amongst all other stresses and responsibilities of our government, the United States Senate has somehow miraculously found the time and prerogative to groan about whether or not certain freedoms of expression should be legal.
Today, now that the Constitution has worked successfully for 200 years, it would be easy to ignore the anti-federalist of 1787 and 1788 as an unimportant historical force, a collection of no constructive reactionaries and cranks. Actually, the anti-federalist may well have represented the views of the majority of the Americans, whose reasons for preferring the old Articles of Confederation were firmly within the democratic tradition. Among the anti-federalist were fiery old patriot leaders who feared
Despite the importance of these ideas to our founding fathers, freedom has lost much of its importance in modern American society. The failure to stress the importance of freedom has diminished the quality of life for the entire American populous Positive liberty is the freedom for one to become all one can (Postive Liberty). This idea can be considered, in general, a totalitarian principle because leaders following this ideology often believs it is within their realm to force the citizens to become all they can be. But this could also be considered democratic through governmental programs such as welfare, affirmative action, and many others created to better society. Yet negative liberty, is the primary one we want in our lives.
To be fair, neither Alger nor the myth he underwrote suggests that we start out equal. Nor d... ... middle of paper ... ... Money and class was the context in which this work was written because in Horatio’s theory people were equal, started off equal, and have equal opportunity. I assumed that the author Horatio lived the American dream and didn’t see the reality of society and that’s another thing I feel like rich people tend to not notice is the reality of society. In conclusion, I know everyone would love to have it all and just wished it were this perfect plan or blueprint to success. Who wouldn’t, but its not.
Many revolutionaries saw the war as the British trying to control the colonist right to own their slaves. To most colonial slaveholders the Revolution was not fighting for their independence from British rule but rather was fighting to protect the liberty to securely hold onto their slaves. “American freedom had been defined in racially exclusive terms that cast African slaves outside the boundary of humanity supposedly endowed with the natural rights to liberty” . After the Revolutionary era freedom played a large role in how Native Americans were going to be treated. In the early 19th century Native American culture was greatly shattered when westward bound Americans and the American government pushed to rid the land of Native Americans.
But since legal reparations requisite the usage of the American legal system they must challenge the law, they must challenge it within its confines When the United States maintained a system of African Slavery, they sold them on at the current values. African’s were believed to be commodities to be bought and sold. They were culturally held to be less then their white counterparts. Abolition of slavery that came later in the post- civil war did little to alleviate the prejudice and the suffering that Africans suffered during the period of slavery. The Jim Crow laws t... ... middle of paper ... ...he case and on the substantive justice of the case.
When people think of America, the first thing that comes to mind is the land of opportunities, equal rights, and freedom that people can have in this country. Of course, this can be true to some extent, but this belief that has made America so unique, has also failed many times throughout history. A democracy is based largely on the principle that under law, every citizen is granted equal rights and freedom without discrimination of any kind. Yet, many people throughout history have been discriminated, had their rights denied, and been ridiculed due to their skin color, gender, race, nationality, or religious beliefs. They were neglected opportunities that they were meant to have, completely violating the concept of democracy.