Monday, December 7, 2009

Maya K - Letter to the Editor

John Brown should not be viewed as a hero, and he should not be pardoned. At the peak of sectionalism in the United States, in the antebellum era, John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry, Virginia, was ill-timed. While John Brown's conception was noble, his execution was flawed. The raid was not well thought out, and no slaves actually revolted. Consequently, Brown was caught and hanged.

Brown's goal in the raid was to show the South how strong the anti-abolition movement was. However, with his failed plan and tragic fate, the South simply hardened itself against abolition movement. They also had another argument for pro-slavery: the slaves do not want to be freed, because they did not revolt, even with the support of a white man.

The South was livid, even though the movement failed, and so they blamed the black Republicans. By trying to stage an unsuccessful and disorganized revolt, Brown only created more anti-black sentiment. John Brown should not be pardoned, because he created more sectionalism and gave the South another reason to secede, preventing abolition for almost half a decade. John Brown and others thought his idea was progressive, but his plan was counter-intuitive to his efforts.

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Thanks,
~Maya K

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