The Oppression Of People's Rights

“And ain’t I a woman?” exclaims the enigmatic persona titled Sojourner Truth. Her words are coated in southern batter and hickish grime. She speaks to a crowd of like-minded individuals, an array of women gathered before her, listening with bated breath, clinging to her relatable dialect. “Ain’t I A Woman?” is a speech that wears a veil of innocence and confidence and purity over its steely passionate cries for female equality. However, its actual conception was not so simple; the speech was first written, and then rewritten to bear the southern drawl that it is famed for, and which made it so relatable to her desired demographic at the time. The speech is an inconspicuous display of effective grammatical systems at work.

She uses ethos, pathos and logos in her speech to make it impactful. Sojourner Truth told her own personal experiences, such as her suffering as a slave and when five of her children were sold into slavery, to obtain an emotional connection with her audience to both women and mothers. With the rhetorical question and repetition of “Ain’t I a Woman?” throughout her speech, Truth empowered women the right to equality. Lastly, since the Women’s Convention in 1851 was mostly Christians and her being a very Christian woman herself, Sojourner Truth made biblical references throughout her speech. This allowed other women to relate to her speech and to have a deeper connection with

Throughout America’s history, we have believed that humans have individual rights that should be protected and supported by the rulers of our country. The Constitution’s Bill of Rights was created to protect these rights, and the Declaration of Independence even proclaims that “all men are created equal”. However, there were hundreds of people scattered throughout the colonies, and then states, in America who did not have these same rights and were not always seen as human, such as African Americans, women, and Native Americans.

At the 1851 Women's Right Convention in Akron, Ohio Sojourner Truth, delivers a wonderful speech about women’s rights. Her speech is arguing the claim made by ministers that states, “: women were weak, men were intellectually superior to women, Jesus was a man, and our first mother sinned.” Sojourner Truth’s speech is to draw attention to the topic of women’s right. Implying that in this world women need to be helped when it comes to them being outside. For her, it is not even like the stereotype in which they have to be helped, because of her skin color. In her speech, Sojourner supports her claim about how women are treated differently except [especially for her because of her skin color] her by saying, Ain't I a woman.” This implies that she should be treated the same if other women are treated some sort. Which also circulates to the other idea in her speech, how women can do the exact same amount as men. If men can walk over mud the woman can do, they do not need help. If white women were helped then she should be helped as well. Connecting to her phrase “Ain't I a woman.” This idea attributes to both sides of her speech, which were equal rights, and how she should be treated the same as another woman. Allowing her voice to seem more intellectual, Sojourner adds all of the attributes of a woman (having kids, her arms). Which adds more support to her claim of why she is not treated the same as white women or even as a human. Who just happens to be women. Sojourner

The issue Douglass show is, America now has the freedom but why is freedom not granted to the selected few. “The Declaration of Independence is a ringbolt to the chain of your nation’s destiny; so indeed, I regard it”(Douglass pg2). Douglass explains that the way America has been granted independence is not the right way to go about it. Being a slave during the time Douglass see’s that independence was given to all Americans, except for the black race. Given the right to speak Douglass believes, why would the American people give him the right to say his opinion if a slave’s word doesn’t change anything. To an American the black race is owned property. Containing the slaves and indentured servants(black race) as property they are given no freedom. “What to the American slave, is your 4th of July? I answer; a day that reveals to him, more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim” (Douglass pg4). Douglass reveals that man is to him the same as the British against the American’s. A black or any other race deserves the same treatment as anyone

“A person held in servitude as the chattel of another” (Slave, n.d.). This is the definition of a “slave”. The most well-known cases of slavery occurred during the settlement of America, for well over 300 years, slavery was allowed and for the most part considered the “norm” within our country. There were many eradicators who made an attempt to end slavery, as we know at some point; they were successful at doing so. One very influential person was, Fredrick Douglas, he along with many others, were extraordinary influences in the anti-slavery movement. Douglas was known for being a social reformer, author, journalist, women’s and human rights activist, a publisher and an abolitionist all in one. He helped to shape and strengthen our nation and try to make it one with equality as possible. Dedicating his life to fighting for justice for all Americans, specifically African-Americans and minority groups. Frederick Douglass rose from slavery, this fact itself inspired him to do so much more than just write about what it was to be a slave. He turn into one of the leading African-American voices. Douglass would eventually become the best-known abolitionist in the country and the most famous black American of his time. As an alternative to only arguing against slavery, Douglass took a different approach, he asked some hard questions about what freedom really is. The speech by Fredrick Douglas, entitled “The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro” represents just that. It express his discontent for the way the slaves were been treated while using sarcasm to prove his point that the slaves are entitles to their freedom, liberty and all American democracy.

During the late seventeenth century if a person was not a land owning single white male, they were treated horrible. This left women and slaves to be at the bottom of the totem pole. Now imagine being a woman born into slavery, this would put the woman even lower on the pole; close to being equal with dirt. However, this did not stop Sojourner Truth from fighting for women’s rights and being an abolitionist.

Douglass continues to talk about how they all came to celebrate the fourth of July, but to remember that the nation is still young and has room for positive change. Douglass then asks this question, "Are the great principles of political freedom and of natural justice, embodied in that Declaration of Independence, extended to us?” (p.407) By us Douglas is meaning blacks. This is supported by when he states that, “This Fourth of July is yours not mine. You may rejoice, I must mourn.” (p.408) Slaves and former slaves like Douglass are only saddened on Independence Day because they still have no independence to cheer for. They were lied to and taken for granted after all the work they did to earn equal rights. To ask black people to celebrate the White man’s freedom is only teasing and disrespectful irony.

Throughout the course of history, Americans have changed the ways in which they derived the powers of the government from the consent of the governed, have changed their understanding of social and political practices concerning “rights”, changed “forms” of government, which have all led to a change in Americans’ “safety and happiness”.

Intended to publicly denounce England’s hold on the American colonies, the Declaration of Independence not only declared the many reasons for separation, but it also listed the noble ideals and values that the United States would build its founding principles upon. Writing of the “abuses and usurpations” faced by the colonies, the document details the “right” and “duty” of the people to “throw off such government.” Also intended to unite the colonies, the Declaration of Independence was instrumental in unifying the many ideals and agendas possessed within each colony. Writing of the unification of the colonies the document reads, “United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved.” The Declaration of Independence also inspired the people.

Fredrick Douglass was a former African American slave who became an abolitionist and fought for human rights. Douglas said “this Fourth of July is yours, not mine” because he does not believe, neither he nor any slaves have anything to celebrate. While white Americans may be celebrating a day of independence, and freedom, the rest of society is still subjected to slavery, “high independence only reveals the immeasurable distance between us”. The newly found rights that are being attained by those who are truly free, are still being kept from

The rhetorical purpose of Frederick Douglass’ speech was to question why African Americans should celebrate freedom when they are still under oppression. Douglass begins talking about the signers of the Declaration of Independence and praises them for what they accomplished, but what Douglass wants is his listeners to continue the work of the Declaration of Independence signers who brought democracy and freedom to this country. Douglass questions the spectators, "Are the great principles of political freedom and of natural justice, embodied in that Declaration of Independence, extended to us (6-7)?” and then follows with, "This Fourth July is yours, not mine (18-19)." Douglass says to have an African American celebrate white people’s freedom

On July second 1776, the Declaration adopted the resolution “that the colonies had the right to be free and independent states from the Britain crown, and all political connections between them were to be dissolved” (American History), On July f\Fourth the declaration was approved. Thomas Jefferson, an acclaimed author of the declaration, said little in the document that was new. The declaration restated the familiar Contract theory of John Locke, that governments were formed to protect the rights of life, liberty, and property of citizens. The Declaration’s virtues laid in the eloquence with the thoughts already widespread in America, and claimed that the king had violated his ”contract” with the colonists and thus forfeited all claim to their

Equality has been an issue for women for an extensive time and even in 1851 they were trying to achieve it. “Ain’t I a woman,” is one of the numerous questions asked by Sojourner Truth in 1851 at a women’s right convention in Akron, Ohio. The woman who raised up that day was a black woman who was trying to make a change and debate the thinking of the statute of men that thought women don’t deserve human rights. While also talking about their thinking she makes a good job at also clapping back to their unlawful judgement with no struggle, not even a paper to look at while speaking.

Libya has the highest human development rate , which is based on quality of life, education, and life expectancy. This number is a direct correlation to the government. Everyone has the right to take part in government , and elected their own leaders. In Libya, the government is violating basic rights and suppressing their people so they can not be included. The government is worried that if they incorporate a system where citizens could make decisions they will later overpower leaders. The citizens are starting to get fed up with the fact that the government is slowly turning into a dictatorship. The Libyan government is violating the people's right to a democracy which can be solved by reforming the existing government structure.