If One Goes.. So Does The Other

This week in American Studies we've covered quite a bit, but more specifically, we covered that if one anti-slavery state were to join the congress, a pro-slavery state would also join the congress. Now, when I heard about this, I thought that it was a pretty dumb way to never come to a conclusion; the conclusion being whether or not America was a pro-slavery or anti-slavery nation. But, I thought it was also marvelous because I never knew so many people could not come to a conclusion on this obviously terrible thing. But hey, what's so god-awful about free labor? After learning this, I realized how much of a unorganized nation we once were (and still are, but for different reasons); I mean, they (the congress at that time) lacked the ability to be coherent, and make just decisions to everyone who inhabited the nation. You have this nation, which was ruled by foreign men who knew nothing of this place, then kicked out the people who actually did know quite a bit about this place, and the nation rulers listened to nobody but similar foreign men (AKA white men); because they only listened to their self, they hadn't a women, a black, or a native to guide them. It was only these European men who they listened to. Because of this (the foreign men doings), they've planned a future of chaos for their self, but triumphs for others. You see, you had a women Revolution, Civil War, and many many more things that happened just because of a lack of listening from the foreign men. But anywho, history shmistory, our world is wonderful now isn't it?

Privileged Liberty

According to Charles Fried, the author of The Nature and Importance of Liberty, "liberty is an expression of what is valuable about us as human beings. It is a natural law idea; that is to say, it is a moral imperative based on what is fundamental (another moral idea) about our human nature." and this past week in World Studies and World Literature we've heard a lot about "liberty" and what it was coming from these privileged congressmen. In World Studies we also discussed the matters of the liberties of the women. We discussed this through a reading of a letter written by Abigail Adams to her husband John Adams. In the letter it stated that her husband not forget about the ladies, and remember all men would be oppressors if given the opportunity. Through her readings you were able to conclude that the women, well the white privileged women (as the non-white nor privileged women were probably treated ten degrees worse), were not being treated as equals to the men, thus they were not given the equal liberties. So I raise the question of whether or not liberty is really a natural thing that is fundamental for everyone, or if it's to those who are privileged? 

Can You Blame Them?

This past week in American Studies and American Literature, we've read a number of things where characters were ignorant; for example, Rowlandson's encounter with the Indians and Jefferson explaining Africans. When first reading these things, I was completely shocked and vexed with the lack of knowledge; like how can you really be so unknowledgeable to the point you'd take lives just for your muse, or you can go around and call people savages and barbarians. But I came to the realization, you cannot blame Mary nor Thomas for their ignorance. You cannot blame them because if you think about it, these are people who've been sheltered from everything and do not know it is wrong. But what really got me was the self-application. If you put yourself in Mary or Thomas' position, how would you react in their position? Could you really blame these people for their doings because of their ignorance? And if these people never done what they have, or thought the way they did, would we still be the same way we were then? After applying myself, and thinking, I cannot blame them, I do not think what Jefferson did was right, and I do not think the way Mary went about some things were right but I think they were fitted actions and thoughts for the people.