Claire F - Letter to the Editor

Yes, John Brown was “forward thinking.” He also acted outside of the law. John Brown made the decision to carry out his raid on Harper’s Ferry and, in doing so, recognized and accepted the associated consequences. Maybe he prompted the United States government to move more swiftly in combating slavery. Maybe he inspired Northern soldiers to fight more passionately in the Civil War. But if any and all passionate citizens demanding various sorts of social change could act on their own accord, outside of the government’s discretion, bloody statements would be made all over the country. John Brown should be recognized and appreciated for his abolitionist sentiments and fervor, but that does in any regard warrant a posthumous pardon for his criminal actions.