A Never Ending Long Run

We talked a lot about minorities and their stereotypes in class this week, especially those of African Americans and Native Americans. These discussions opened my eyes to the vast time frame that these groups have been subject to oppression. From slavery to police brutality in North Carolina, and from colonial disputes to the building of a pipeline, these minority groups have struggled and continue to struggle tremendously.

Let's start with African Americans. They were under the oppression of the white man as slaves until the Civil War. But even after the war, they continued to face inequality and unjust treatment. The social stigma and the ingrained fact that white men were superior prevailed. Frederick Douglass states "there is not a nation on the earth guilty of practices more shocking and bloody than are the the people of the United States, at this very hour". These shocking and bloody practices seem to never end, however. The shooting in Ferguson and the recent brutality in North Carolina have sparked a new Blacks Life Matter movement. Frederick Douglass definitely did not intend that the immoral practices would remain nearly over a 150 years later.

Moving on to Native Americans. From almost the very moment that the first colonials came in contact with the Native Americans, the indigenous people were driven West. Sherman Alexie draws an allusion to this fact by saying "we were the only real cowboys there despite the fact that we're Indians." Indians slowly continued to lose their land and were forced into reservations. Well, now even these reservations are at danger. The building of a pipeline near the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation in Missouri could contaminate the main fresh water supply for many tribes. Along with this, the Native American and their reservations are very commonly stereotyped. Early on the Native Americans were described as "merciless savages" (DoI) with a primitive language and culture. They continue to be stereotyped as being alcoholics and lazy which simply isn't true.

So the point I'm trying to make is that these minority groups have faced unjust treatment for years and it doesn't seem to end. While this may seem an obvious fact, little to no change has occurred which tells me that not enough people are on this same page.

A Start Line for Equality?

This week in class, we compared two documents: The Declaration of Independence written by Thomas Jefferson and the The Declaration of Sentiments written by Elizabeth Cady Stanton. Although I was completely lost while analyzing the pieces at home, our in-class discussion helped me to understand some very interesting points about them. The language in the Declaration of Sentiments was an especially intriguing feature. Stanton writes it in an inclusive manner trying to unite women (and the 3 men present) to begin a new movement for equality. The speech is optimistic and looks towards the future. While the DoI (Declaration of Independence) builds on the fact that "all men are created equal", the DoS (Declaration of Sentiments) writes "all men and women are created equal". The women were still dependent on men, and this document shows it. Rather than writing a completely new radical piece, these women copied the structure of the DoI with very similar starting phrases.

At this point in history, women were struggling. They were under the tyranny of men. In fact, over hundred years after this speech was given, there was another Women's Right Movement in the 1960s (#APUSH DBQ :/). The ending of the DoS phrases this fact perfectly: "We hope this Convention will be followed by a series of Conventions". In 1873, Susan B. Anthony, a Women's Rights activist, delivered a rousing speech in which she stands "under indictment for the alleged crime of having voted in the last presidential election". Her radical and bold tone work towards gaining suffrage for women. Not until 1920 did women gain this right. Anthony mocks white men and their right to vote, which is similar to the way Stanton writes her speech. However, Anthony is able to deliver her point much more effectively than Stanton because Anthony's speech is much more powerful with a specific end result.

Women have fought tirelessly and continue to fight to gain the equality they rightfully deserve. In that sense, the Seneca Falls Convention was an important starting point for Women's Rights, but where is the finish?