Gettysburg Address

"But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth." - Abraham Lincoln November 1863

What Lincoln is trying to promote is the idea that we are responsible for the outcome of the nation. Our forefathers have built the nation up, so what we do each day, politically and socially influences what happens in the long run. In other words, what we allow is what will continue. Being that the civil war is taking place at this time, Lincoln is zooming into the fact that the nation's citizens are resorting to war to justify the dehumanizing of slaves. If we cannot solve problems without lashing out, how can we solve problems? It seems we are scarring and bruising the nation rather than even justifying it. I chose this passage because it's true, people from the past have set us on the right path and the high road to make our nation a great success, however we are in a sense defying their hard work, it's time for us to rise up and be responsible. 

Lincoln Dred Scott

"Judicial decisions are of greater or less authority as precedents, according to circumstances. That this should be so, accords both with common sense, and the customary understanding of the legal profession."

This passage highlights the role of judgement in cases; and the notion that this sort of decision making should inhibit the human instincts for common sense. Being that judicial leaders are carefully selected, it is a shame the legal perspective of this case is empowered and altered to overpower the humanitarian side of it. This makes it unbearable to imagine what future cases might look like with this kind of judicial system. This passage relates to our course because the 3 branches are divided i a way to maintain power, however it seems as though the balance of power was lacking around this case. However, at a time where you would think progress has been made, there is still the slight lack of common sense and critical and judicial thinking in the law system; for example, the Trayvon Martin case. Though the judicial system has advanced a little bit, it still has some glitches and flaws.

Civil Disobedience and African American Odyssey

"After all, the practical reason why, when the power is once in the hands of the people, a majority are permitted, and for a long period continue, to rule is not because they are most likely to be in the right, nor because this seems fairest to the minority, but because they are physically the strongest. But a government in which the majority rule in all cases cannot be based on justice, even as far as men understand it. Can there not be a government in which majorities do not virtually decide right and wrong, but conscience?- in which majorities decide only those questions to which the rule of expediency is applicable? Must the citizen ever for a moment, or in the least degree, resign his conscience to the legislation? Why has every man a conscience, then? I think that we should be men first, and subjects afterward." -Henry David Thoreau 

          Henry David Thoreau's stand point in his essay is to question why citizens dehumanize themselves to follow the laws made by the government; and I believe he makes that very clear in this passage. He asks why do we avoid our conscience just because the government has  made its own decision about carrying out with a plan that only benefits them, Thoreau is writing from a time when the United States was planing on expanding into Mexico, and needed the money of the citizens to pay for this expansion which possibly in the eyes of many Americans was seen as wrong, however they neglected their conscience and their own mindset to fulfill that of the governments, causing Thoreau to ask when the government will finally stop getting not only into the pockets of its people but their minds as well. Instead of expressing their beliefs in regards to the Mexican expansion, these people just  gave graciously to the government, avoiding the fact that some sort of dehumanizing would be taking place on both American soil and Mexican soil. 

African American Odyssey 

PART 1: West Africa during Slave Trade

         

          West Africa during the slave trade was wiped out and lacked population, whereas population and agriculture were reportedly flourishing in other places. Slave owners and traders were working systematically as Thoreau expresses the government to be doing, helping themselves flourish at the expense of someone else. People were dehumanize for a shiny coin or for labor, completely neglecting the fact that what has become property is a living, breathing individual. Citizens are similar to slaves in a sense that they "belong" to the government, they must obey and pay taxes and support the government or they will be punished, just like a slave. 

PART 2: The merchandise of slaves...and souls of men

         With the idea that slave trade was outlawed in 1808, but still continued illegally, and no government action took place, it paints the obvious picture that the government, much like any normal human, with a desire, will fulfill that desire whether it is right or wrong. When slave trade was outlawed, slaves were still coming in. Thoreau's position on government power can be supported through this, at the end of the day so long as the government is happy will always be the result, the sun cannot go down if the government is dissatisfied, even if it is at the cost of human life and humanity.