Sunday, May 3, 2015
Editorial #2 JOHN BROWN: HERO OR VILLIAN?
HARPER'S FERRY, VIRGINIA Virginia Kansas
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I think John Brown is a hero. The only way to stop slavery is through violence. I think it is right that he stands up and fights as an abolionist. Other people should take stand and stop slavery through violence.
ReplyDeleteYour view is clearly biased, as you are writing about yourself and aggrandizing your choices. Not only did you vandalize and steal from a federal arms depot, you have killed a good deal of people and are responsible for a great deal more. If violence is to be the key to ending slavery, which is simply a fact of life, then you might as well take up arms against early bedtime or midnight curfew. By using violence to achieve your goals, you are merely creating a cycle of anger, hatred, and more bloodshed. By killing, you are only going to find yourself with more enemies. And what is a hero who ends up getting stabbed in the back by his own countrymen?
DeleteJohn Brown is a villain, not only to the South, but also to human nature. His knack for wreaking violence and bloodshed, as well as his talent for sowing disaster is legendary. The tensions between the North and South have never been higher, and before we know it, we will have war on our lands and blood on our hands. The barbaric and egregious raid on Harper's Ferry only proves how much of a threat he is. He simply takes things too far, to the point of extremism. The number of people he's killed, the raids he's led... they only show that he is violent and treacherous. I say, throw him into jail! Let him feel the cold shackles and the gnawing pain of hunger as he contemplates his choices and all the damage he has done.
ReplyDeleteI think John Brown is a villain. he used violence to get his point across, and he supports slavey! Two things I do not support. I don't know why he cares about slavery enought to put white people through pain! I understand why he would hurt block people to get his point across, but white people? His actions don't make sense
ReplyDeleteIn life there is a point where violence stands at a last resort. You stubborn southerners can't just judge people by what they look, smell, or believe in! I am ashamed to be white. What John Brown is doing was inevitable no matter what. Eventually if slavery gets out of hand then someone will stand up and fight for it. Stop this now before our nation breaks into war. For someone like John Brown, too be so passionately outrageous about something so righteous, is worth fighting for. This is why I fight for the north passionately as well...because we believe that no man or woman should be judged by strength, race, belief, skin color, or anything! The nation is no better than a children fighting over toys. Grow up nation. And remember what America is. The Land of the Free.
ReplyDelete-Cushman. Out.
Pauline Cushman is right. Violence is appalling and gruesome. I have gone through the mill. I have seen countless, wounded, blood-spattered soldiers die right before my eyes as I attempted to cure them. Despite the horrors I have witnessed, I support John Brown's actions. As I once said, "This conflict is one thing I've been waiting for. I'm well and strong and young - young enough to go to the front. If I can't be a soldier, I'll help soldiers." It is time for the nation to change. I strongly feel slavery must be abolished even if violence is needed. How can you disagree with this necessary violence when slaves are being treated as property and whipped to death?
ReplyDelete-Clara Barton #foodforthought
John Brown crossed the line when he raided the federal arms depot. He was already causing trouble when he killed innocents, but this is too far. There is really no need for war. My country is bordered to a northern country. This causes tension to soar throug the roof, and I don't want to be part of it. My sons would go fight in the war (and die). John brown has just stirred up trouble and I hope he pays for it.
ReplyDeleteI don't support slavery. However, it is my opinion that violence will never be the answer. If we don't agree with violence against black people, why would we agree with violence against white people? This act is the first step towards war. I have no wish to be separated from my husband, who is Patriotic and will enter the war as a soldier, nor for my child to grow up fatherless. May our Heavenly Parent watch over this nation.
ReplyDeleteJohn Brown is a HERO! Slavery is immoral and needs to be taken a stand against. Even though he shouldn't have used violence to get his point across, he knew that this was something worth fighting for, and if his words didn't get his point across, then he thought he needed to use violence. Brown's act of bravery and courage should be an example to all of us that we must do whatever we need to go make slavery abolished! Finally, if we are all freaking out about how terrible it was to use violence, then why is it normal to use violence against slaves?
ReplyDeleteWe must fight for our rights and john brown is fighting for the only moral cause. All i know is surviving in the fields, living life day by day and if this is how we must end slavery then so be it. i was separated from my family and had my rights taken away while i was a slave. I am willing to risk my life for this cause and john brown was a hero for what he did.
ReplyDeleteJohn Brown has done an act of justice! He is bringing attention to a major issue in our home and political life. Someone has to put a stop to slavery, turns out John Brown was just one of the people fighting for what they believe. Violence isn't necessarily always the right option, but it definitely drew attention that is vital to the progress of abolition. Brown is a modern day Robin Hood; bringing justice to slaves instead of the poor.
ReplyDelete-F.L. Clayton
I believe that John Brown is a villain. Using violence to fight slavery is exactly what could be used to start a civil war. We should not split the union in half, and kill our own men, just for the purpose of fighting slavery. Men like John Brown are exactly the type of people that will make this country turn on itself. And if all else fails, we need the union to be standing strong!
ReplyDeleteJohn Brown is a good man who did what he thought was right. As an abolitionist sometimes our people are beaten and killed in our fight against slavery. Playing by their rules can be distressing at times but if we can beat them at their own game and fight for what we believe in maybe we can over come them and defeat slavery all together.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI think that John Brown should be a role model for us all. Slavery is terrible and should be abolished at and cost. If a couple of lives can save millions then so be it, and if the South doesn't like it then they should skedaddle. I personally wouldn't put my life on the line but i think that others should.
ReplyDeleteWhat John Brown did is an act of violence and what villains do. How dare he raid a Federal Depot for the sake of his beliefs. Using abolition as an excuse to act out and hurt innocent settlers does not justify Brown. He should be thrown into the calaboose. This will definitely be a last straw for a lot of people, and could eventually lead to war. At this rate, if people were to keep using violence, I think that the South will soon withdraw from the union, as a necessary step to protect our beliefs.
ReplyDeleteAlthough Brown's raid was insane, his controlling motive is just and sublime. Raiding a Federal Arms Depot is not an efficient solution to slavery, and Brown should have realized this. Conversely, this is just the spark that a lot of Northerners, not unlike me, need. I am passionately behind the North and will do anything to aid them and this proud cause. Slavery will need persistence and strength to be extinguished, and Brown has proven how much abolitionists are willing to sacrifice in order to undo the wrongdoing that is slavery.
ReplyDeleteI believe that Brown is a good person, though his ways may be a little unorthodox. Slavery can only bring bad things to this country, what with the recent moral dilemmas that many people are experiencing and the creation of abolition. However, I do believe that violence is not the correct way to go about this. We could peacefully work out a solution to slavery problems. I served in the army for 13 years. I would know the difference between a major problem and an issue easily solved with politics. I think Brown went about this problem the wrong way.
ReplyDeleteJohn Brown is neither a hero nor a villain. I believe that slavery should be outlawed, but I do not support violence. Abolition can be achieved in many other ways besides violent rebellions, including through diplomacy or peaceful rebellions. John Brown's intentions were good, though his methods were flawed. He should have settled for a resolution without conflict. His strategy in hosting a rebellion was very careless, and all it did was get himself and others killed.
ReplyDeleteA country full of hard-headed, trigger happy citizens will not end well. Do you all feel so strongly about this as to kill your brethren?! Hate is a disease and America is getting sicker and sicker. What John Brown did is unacceptable, yes, but from this we must learn from his decisions. From violence only grows more violence. Have we learned nothing from the countless deaths we've had to deal with in these past wars?
ReplyDeleteRemember, if you fight fire with fire, you are bound to get burned.
--Franklin Thompson
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ReplyDeleteEven as a southern general, I think he took it too far by attacking. If we all just stayed calm, we might have been able to work this out peacefully. By doing this, he worked everyone up. The South and North just got reminded of how much they hate each other. If the South and North were both calm, this problem could have been easily worked out. If trigger hungry keep doing extreme acts like these, this conflict won't be resolved without war. But again, if war is needed and this conflict can't be peaceful, my full attention will be on leading the South to victory.
ReplyDeleteI think John Bosh is at sea with all of this. The whole kit and caboodle with all of this fuss is nonsense. Using violence to try and proove a point, or to express your emotions, or let out anger is uterly dumb. Violence leads to violence, and in this way the violence is in a circle, and circles dont end. I think there are many better solutions and ways to get out emotions or anger. Violent outrages do nothing but create more problems and upset more people with all of this bosh. John, you are creating problems and putting people in the hands of danger.
ReplyDeleteI think that John Brown is a hero. Abolitionists need to stand up and start fighting for the end to slavery. He fought for the cause while nobody else did. His courage is showing other people that we will not be silenced and that we will put a stop to slavery. Slaves are people just like everyone else and deserve the same rights, and people like John Brown is how they are going to get that freedom.
ReplyDeleteMyself, the ace-high people of the South, and all of the civilized white folk will be seeing to Mr. Brown's immediate death. Violent abolishionists are only going to do further damage to the relationships between pro and anti slavery people. If John Brown lives, so does the idea that violence is the answer. He is a goner and people who claim him to be a hero are denying the inevtiable: his death as a result of his non heroic actions.
ReplyDeleteJohn Brown's raid at the Federal Weapons Storage Depot was inappropriate. Being a mild abolitionist myself, I can see how this raid may have been tempting. Although, I and many others, believe in peaceful protests that take place in court. This is indeed, a political issue, not to be taken into the hands of violence. John Brown shall immediatly be taken to jail, and later sentenced with death. His act of violence on October 16th was unacceptable in our society. If we don't see John Brown to jail immediately, then many others will be attempting the same unlawful act that John Brown has done.
ReplyDeleteI believe that John Brown's raid was a heroic act. It has been proved that it is the severe issue of slavery has been mindlessly dismissed too many times. Countless abolitionists have tried to stop slavery through passive ways through public speaking, newspapers etc., those techniques have never impacted the south like what John Brown's act has. Brown sacrificed his life and family for this cause, violence is no one's first choice. Brown did not do it because he wanted to. It was because he knew it was the only way for people to realize the severity of the issue of slavery.
ReplyDeleteJohn Brown is a villain. His actions will make the divides run deeper in America. Northerners think he is a hero. Southerners think he is a villain. The President either makes one side angry or the other. If he says that his acts were heroic it cause the South to become angry. If he says it was bad he makes John Brown a martyr. He loses either way.
ReplyDeleteJohn Brown is a hero. There has been plenty of bloodshed between the whites and the blacks. Whites have beaten their slaves to death, and no one struck out. Whites have treated blacks so brutally, and still, not a single soul had come to them and told them they were doing wrong. As for a abolitionist, can they just sit there and watch all this happen? What else can they do but to strike out. Some may say here that bloodshed and crime isn't the solution to end slavery. But then why is that same thing happening on the white side? In my opinion, John Brown had done the right thing to create a path for other abolitionists to speak out and help end slavery, even if this means war.
ReplyDeleteJohn Brown made a good move. Violence is the only answer now. Racists will attack blacks as much as they want if they feel there is no consequence. We need to show them there is one.
ReplyDeleteWhat John Brown did was heroic. It was definitely a dangerous act and I thought he would never get out alive. I believed that Brown's plan would fail so I declined joining him in the raid. Treatment of slaves is brutal and degrading, we weren't able to find any other way to try to stop slavery. Violence is the only way to stop it now, slave owners need to learn how horrible they are. If there's no way to end slavery peacefully then people need to start being violent and that is just what Brown did. "Peace is bosh and violence is needed, if there is no struggle there is no progress. Those who profess to favor freedom and yet deprecate agitation, are men who want crops without plowing up the ground, they want rain without thunder and lightning. They want the ocean without the awful roar of its many waters. This struggle may be a moral one, or it may be a physical one, and it may be both moral and physical, but it must be a struggle. Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will."
ReplyDeleteJohn brown is a villain that needs to be put down. Volinece is not the answer and people need to learn how to use words. Many people died that shouldn't have. And John brown must......DIE.
ReplyDeleteJohn Brown is not a villain. If i hadn't got sick that day i would have been there with John Brown. But since i didn't go and im still here i know what i need to do now and im gonna fight, i will not give up. ill fight and you wont be able to catch me, you wont find me, ill get away. My fight will not be done for a long time, i still need to free tons of slaves. Slavery is taking our souls. I cant and will not die until slavery has been ended.
ReplyDeletehe is a hero! he is being called heroic as well as an outrage. the same would go for me if my identity was revealed! as a WOMEN fighting in the war disguised as a man, I would be hated even more than the slaves! but I care too much about my husband to let him go alone, so together we left our home in Minnesota tonight for justice together. so John brown is a hero, big moves need to be made, the first big move came from the north, it's your turn south.
ReplyDelete