John Adams the second president of the United States and one of its founding fathers worked tirelessly throughout his life to change America for the better. He and other American patriots, who founded the original 13 colonies, fought to gain their freedom and independence from Great Britain and escape its tyranny (History.com). Just as President Adams believed America needed to avoid the injustices they experienced in Britain, I believe present-day America is still struggling to right these wrongs. In response to the statement “Because I live in America, I am Free”, I say America does not live up to it’s principle of being the land of the free. America is not the land of the free because there are still many racial conflicts and legal injustices. Still present in America today is a wage gap difference between the sexes, our desire for security and protection is robbing Americans of their Constitutional freedoms, and the President of the U.S has acted with overreaching authority.
One major injustice is that women are not paid or treated equally. According to Abigail Adams from the 1700’s who wrote to her husband John Adams “Remember all Men would be tyrants if they could. If perticuliar care and attention is not paid to the Laidies we are
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In corresponding to this Washington post talks about how President Obama agreed that allowing him to have the authority to kill a U.S. Citizen if thought to be a terrorist for the fear of terrorism, gives the President pure authority over who dies and who lives (Turley). Another support to this is reasoning is the President authority to choose who can go to court is against everything that the constitution of the United States of America says (Turley). According to the constitution, it puts that everyone has the right to be tried by a
However, the hardships and misfortunes of other groups of women due to race, religion, sexual orientation, etc are not often mentioned because feminism has a widespread message and definition worldwide. In the United States, black women or any women with darker skin complexions were treated inhumanely and did not, also still today did not benefit from white privilege. As explained, referring back to the era of slavery up until the American Revolution black enslaved women were mistreated due to the color of their skin and they were without a voice because of their lack of power in a society where man had more power over women and blacks were overpowered by those with lighter skin. Overall, it is important to note and realize that all women were subjected to unequal treatment due to many variables, but some women more than others because of certain variables as
Equality is on a broad spectrum in the world. What does equality and freedom actually mean? And is America really equal. We are going to explore some of the most famous people who set standard for us to be called equal. Several years ago it was a fight for many people around the country to be able to call themselves free, now what do we have to show for that. The new generation coming into to the world are becoming lazy and not learning what it actually mean to be free and equal. America was made a free country, but there are still injustice things here and on the uprising. Did Dr. King really make a change? Did Emmett till get us to listen and open our minds? Or was it Abraham who tried to get people to hear his speech about freedom? All of these men did something to help change how segregate and unfair laws were back then. But what can do to make these men continue to be the reason why we call ourselves free? The people of today and tomorrow have to do better because yes, a lot has changed, but that doesn’t mean it will stay this way. I heard that history repeats itself and if that is true then the upcoming generations are going to have to get on board and continue to strive for equality and freedom. I don’t think America is truly free nor are the American people just settling because they know that this freedom might be as far as we can go. Sometimes settling isn’t the right thing to do if we are unhappy with the situation we are in we should change it. As Obama said, I know my country has not perfected itself. And at times, we’ve struggled to keep the promise of liberty and equality for all of our people. We’ve made our share of mistakes, and there are times when our actions around the world have not lived up to our best inten...
America is well known for many things, and one of the main qualities is the idea and practice of freedom and liberty. When thinking of the United States, one would probably say “Land of the free, Home of the brave.” America is a place where citizens have rights, can have happiness, and are free to live the life they choose. Although America is so free now, have citizens always had the rights that they have today? The founding fathers of the United States of America made the way to freedom when the Declaration of Independence was written, but even though it was written down, not all citizens had freedom. When Elizabeth Cady Stanton wrote The Declaration of Sentiments, she used The Declaration of Independence as a guide. Freedom was still freedom, of course, but Stanton used it for a purpose that was different from how the founding fathers used it. When Stanton wrote the Declaration of Sentiments, she not only included the way Americans believe in freedom and liberty, she also included the way the beliefs can change and be interpreted in different ways.
Thomas Jefferson, an educated, well respected career man, served as governor of Virginia, secretary of state, and president of the United States. The Revolutionary era, during the 1770's, proved to be one of America's most victorious times. Despite the casualties the American colonies suffered, they proved to be stronger than their ruling land, Britain, and won the right to be a free land, becoming the United States of America. Living through this difficult turning point in history inspired Jefferson to write "The Declaration of Independence." Once again, nearly two hundred years later, America faced yet another turning point in history. Watching America struggle through racial integration in the 1960's, King was outraged by how Blacks were being treated, not only by citizens, but by law enforcement. Police brutality became increasingly prevalent, especially in the South, during riots and protests. As a revered clergyman, civil rights leader, and Nobel Prize winner, King's writings sprung from a passion to help America become the land Jefferson, among many people, had promised it to be. ...
The king says “That all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” This quote/statement explains that all people have rights including men, all men are created equal, all men are treated the same as any other person. The Declaration of Independence also tells us that the Government also has the job to help people have the truths that they want or want to hear from them. “That, to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed; that, whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute a new government, laying its foundation in such principles, and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness.” This is stating that the people in America should abolish and alter their rights that they do have, the government that prevents the truths need to
The beliefs and writings of our Founding Fathers’ answer the many issues and crises in our America today. Patrick Henry’s “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death” speech may have been intense and almost extreme; it personifies the struggle for one’s rights to self government and autonomy. Even though our country faces different challenges and obstacles, we should turn back to the ideas & principles given to us from our Founding Fathers.
In conclusion, it is evident that the freedom of America was not free. It was bought with a price. This freedom was gained through years of sacrifice and the American victory in the Revolutionary War. It’s military assets, the aid from foreign countries, and the unwavering, inspiring spirit of independence were significant factors in the colonial victory. Without these three components, the Revolutionary War would have been lost and America would not be as we know it today.
Many ancient laws and beliefs show that women from all around the world have always been considered inferior to men. However, as time went on, ideas of equality circulated around and women started to demand equality. Many women fought for equality and succeeded in bringing some rights. However, full equality for women has yet to be fulfilled. This issue is important because many women believe that the rights of a person should not be infringed no matter what their gender is, and by not giving them equality, their rights are being limited. During the periods 1840 to 1968, total equality for women did not become a reality due to inadequate political representation, economic discrepancy, and commercial objectification.
Women have been oppressed since the beginning of time, they have always been thought of as lesser to men in our culture, and they still are. Although some people may disagree women are still put at a lower bar to men. They have a lower chance of getting certain jobs, making more money and being put into places of higher power. People of color have also been oppressed for a very long time. Back in colonial times this sexism and racism was even stronger and more powerful. Women couldn’t get any jobs that had to do with government and had very little power over what they could or couldn’t do. African americans were almost all slaves and if they weren’t they still had little to no rights, it was extremely difficult for them to find jobs. This
As far back as the Paleolithic era, women had different rights then men. Some of the injustices women faced include, not having a right to vote, a voice in law, and women could not enter most occupations. Women were not even allowed to get a college education. Once a women was married she had no rights, or in the case that the women got divorced she had no legally could not have custody of her children. Many religious believed God created women to be inferior. It was considered a natural law that men were above women. When women started the fight for more rights, it started out as a political and legal fight and eventually turned into a social and economic fight as well. Many women who started the fight, died before they could see there work pay off, including Susan Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucy Stone. In the U.S, Abigail Adams and Mercy Otis Warren fought for the addition of women’s emancipation in the constitution. During the late 18th century, in the United States men had many rights while women had very few. Women also could not keep their own wages. One right woman maintained was the right to own property if their husband died.
America has always been known as “ The Land of the Free”. American’s have so many more freedoms than any other country in the world. The freedom to believe in any religion they please (freedom of religion), say whatever they want (freedom of speech), protect themselves (the right to keep and bear arms), and women rights set America leaps and bounds ahead of many other countries.
Thomas Jefferson once said “We hold these truths to be self–evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. – That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.” When asked if I believe that the United States is living up to its founding principles, the first thing that comes to my mind is this quote and I have to say that America is not living up to its founding principles.
I believe it is safe to assume that nearly all Americans are familiar with the infamous “life, liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness” phrase. That infamous phrase was coined by John Locke, a notable figure during the time of Enlightenment. The Enlightenment served its purpose to inspire and drastically change the pliable British colonists into strong, independent American citizens. A land with no monarch was truly a groundbreaking idea. An idea that frightened many colonists on how they could survive alone. Thomas Paine, perhaps the most notable figure of Enlightenment, chided those who believed America needed British rule to thrive in his pamphlet Common Sense by saying “We may as well assert that because a child has thrived upon milk, that it is never
Women began to speak out against the laws that were deliberately set against them. Throughout this time period, women were denied the right to vote in all federal and most state held elections. Women struggled to achieve equality; equality as citizens, equality in the work place, and equality at home. During this time, Americans worked to fight corruption in government, reduce the power of big business, and improve society as a whole.
Among the unjust treatments in a workplace, the one most heard of is unequal pay. Women are being paid less than men despite having the same job and producing the same result. In a research led by the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, it states that “in 2014, female full-time worker made only 79 cents for every dollar earned by men, a gender wage gap of 21 percent” and there won’t be equal pay between genders until 2059 or 44 years later (“Pay Equity”). In history, women were not allowed to work and their job were to be full time housewives. As time passed, women started realizing that they are able to go out into the work force and they have the ability just as men do. Women fought for the right to work and they received what they wanted but their salary was different from what was given to men. They were discriminated because of their gender and women were treated unfairly simply just because they were