Crazy Actions To Fight Against A World Of Discrimination And Cruelty

When one commits violent and supposedly insane acts to combat a world of discrimination and brutality, when do you draw the line between characterizing them as a hero or a terrorist? This question is very important when assessing the legacy of one American abolitionist that has caused much controversy over the years, John Brown. In the 19th century, America was restless with a split between the North claiming America needed to be cleaned of the sin that was slavery, and the South believed slavery was an ideal situation: high production of cotton, tobacco, and sugar has done for free with slaves. Some, like John Brown, went to certain heights and dedicated their lives to demolishing the corrupt order established in America. Throughout Brown’s life, he aided slaves on the Underground Railroad and actively tried to gain the education the slaves needed and deserved.

There is no denying that Brown was a clear advocate for anti-slavery, however, some believe his actions went too far. Brown with a group of volunteers killed five pro-slavery men in Bleeding Kansas, a small civil war over the issue of slavery in Kansas territory. In addition to multiple other brutal attacks, his most prominent was the event of the Raid on Harpers Ferry. In 1859, Brown hoped to arm the slaves, enabling them to overthrow slavery and inspire fear in slaveholders, by attempting to seize the U.S. arsenal in Harpers Ferry, Virginia. With just 21 men in the scheme, they held were quickly trapped and fought until the raid was crushed by Robert E. Lee. The outcome of this attack was multiple casualties, the death of ten of Brown’s men, including two of his sons, and no immediate effect on any slave’s freedom.

Surviving the battle, Brown was put on trial in Charles Town and hung for treason on December 2, 1859. After his death, no one questioned John Brown’s acts in the north. Only praise and gratitude were given to Brown, however, this view would change in more recent years. After the attack in World Trade Center by al-Qaeda on 9/11, John Brown’s great bravery was questioned and replaced with terrorism. A debate has become evident in the motives and sanity of Brown, but how does one begin to assess a revolutionary with a good cause?

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John Brown was truly a man worthy of praise and criticism. He chose an approach to terminate slavery that could have been less violent and more sensible, and could have been due to his “religious obsession” and possible mental instability.. Despite this, his impact on the Civil War cannot be left unnoticed. Brown was a passionate and righteous man and his persistence and efforts have illustrated an image of a spirited martyr in my mind. When the government fails to correct the injustice prevalent in America, it forces others to advocate for what is right. John was fighting for a change in the corruption placed and ignored by the government.

Henry David Thoreau, the American essayist and philosopher, shared similar views in his speech, “A Plea for Captain John Brown.” Thoreau discusses the flaws of the American “representative” government and compares it to, “A semi-human tiger or ox, stalking over the earth, with its heart taken out and the top of the brain shot away.” The government is this higher authority that is blindly looking over society with little to no reasoning or ethics. One dominant ability that the government has is the power to declare right from wrong, but they often identify the two incorrectly. When this happens, it creates necessary rebellion from the people. Courageous citizens, like John Brown, have to step into the situation to correct the unjust of the world. African Americans, oppressed by white Americans, were present across the South and forced to work tirelessly with no compensation.

This was more than a reason for John Brown to find it necessary to commit harsh actions, especially when many are not bold enough to speak out against the face of injustice. In addition, Brown proved himself as benevolent and sympathetic as he endlessly sought to elevate the lives of slaves and African Americans. Robert E. McGlone, an associate professor of history at the University of Hawaii, has written about the history of John Brown. In “From The Madness of John Brown,” McGlone acknowledges that Brown devoted his existence to the gain rights to the ill-treated slaves in the “privileged world of whites.” He states, “...he proposed adopting black children and founding schools for them. In 1849 he moved his family to North Elba, N.Y, to teach fugitives how to maintain a farm.” Brown went as far to risk his life in multiple raids and eventually was hanged for enforcing equality in America.

In “Freedom’s Martyr,” David Reynolds, author of multiple novels revolving around American slavery, protects John Brown’s case by insisting on the various great historical figures and writers that has praised John Brown for going so far. Reynolds includes when Frederick Douglass declared, “... while he lived for black people, John Brown has died for them.” He continues by using quotes from Ralph Waldo Emerson and W. E. B. Du Bois demonstrates hat both deep respect Brown. The strong-willed abolitionist treated one as a neighbor and was prepared to lay down his life for the enslaved. John Brown’s controversial deeds have also created his title as a terrorist. Many found Brown as a murderer needing a more peaceful way to help African Americans.

After the attack of 9/11, some have found similarities between the raid on Harpers Ferry and the infamous terrorist attack. Award-winning reporter, Tony Horwitz, classifies the raid as “The 9/11 of 1859.” Horowitz writes, “Brown’s strikes force was similar in size and make-up to that of the 9/11 hijackers.” Those arguing that the religious intensity of the two tragedies resonated with one another. Furthermore, Brown was also undermined of his bravery when taking his sanity into factor. A number of historians and writers including David M. Potter and J.C. Furnas saw Brown as most likely a man fueled with madness. Though it is true that Brown may have been an unbalanced man, his influence to history cannot be doubted and makes him a leader deserving applaud.

The effect of Brown’s raid on Harpers Ferry served as a catalyst for the start of the Civil War. After the attack, it proved to the South that the north and slaves would take extreme approaches to get rid of slavery. Thoreau exclaims that the well-known raid had also, “... quickened the feeble pulse of the North… than any number of years of… prosperity could.” They two grew further away as the North grew strong and agitated, the South became threatened and cautious, ready to keep slavery as is. Without Brown, slavery may have been prolonged for longer than ever desired. Robert E. McGlone refers to W. E. B. Du Bois, a co-founder of the NAACP, that thought, “... his [John Brown] plan to put arms in the hands of slaves hastened the end of slavery.” An aggressive attitude was imperative to stop a system so intolerable.

While others stood as bystanders, John Brown led with determination, love, and thirst for justice. Even if history decides to classify Brown as an unstable criminal, the good he has caused in the long run has led me to perceive Brown as an American hero. With such a horrific institution as slavery, deserves an equally gruesome force to fight against it. John Greenleaf Whittier words, after the death of John Brown, should be stick with those uncertain of Brown’s legacy: “Perish with him the folly that seeks through evil good! Long live the generous purpose unstained with human blood!”

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