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The Meyer Vs Nebraska Court

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I Racism, bigotry, and hate are recurring flaws in human nature. These flaws derive from a psychological tendency to like those who are similar to oneself and dislike those who are different. Throughout history, xenophobia, the intense, irrational fear or dislike of foreigners, has plagued human societies. In the times of the 1920s in America, xenophobia was directed toward certain European powers, mainly the Soviet Union and Germany. In a fear of these European immigrants corrupting future generations with their own languages, laws were passed in several places, one of which was Nebraska. Robert Meyer, a teacher who defied this law, went all the way to the Supreme Court simply to defend his freedom of privacy (Ross). The Meyer vs Nebraska court case impacted several aspects of the Supreme Court; most recognizable impacts include future legal decisions, the implications of the fourteenth amendment, and the state’s limit to their police power. II The roaring twenties were a time of change and logic. The twenties were the beginning of the loss of faith triggered by the debates of tradition over modernism. New stereotypes were created such as the rebellious teen, and new roles were filled such as women’s active role in politics, working life, and their own nightlife. Despite this, a combination of the First World War, the Red Scare, and a natural distrust of foreigners lead to prejudicial laws. The First World War was unlike any war before and understandingly drew fear into

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