Humans are all one in God yet class, race, and gender divide our society. One’s race and gender define the basic course of your life. This must change. Slavery embodies this flaw in our society by withholding rights to some and giving them to others. Furthermore, women in society are denied the right to vote because men claim the justification that “politics are too dirty for women,” but women could elevate the morality within politics.
Additionally, the treatment of captive slaves is unjust, inhumane, and cruel (Angelina Grimké, Speech at Penn). Being a certain gender or race alters the course of one’s life drastically because if one is a black male or black female, they are destined to a life of slavery, and if one is a white male are guaranteed the right to vote, among other privileges while white women are forbidden to vote. Slavery and the denial of women’s right to vote clearly displays the flaw in our society of gender and race completely defining one’s life.
Slavery exemplifies the flaw in our constitutional society through different groups of people having the right to vote while other separate groups being denied this same right. Moreover, some groups are granted freedom while others are unwillingly Sullivan2 forced into a life of slavery and intense abuse. Slavery provides a basis and justification for denying people within the society, their basic rights. Showing the political leaders being able to deny people of their basic rights while still providing rights to others, without any compensation for those not receiving rights.
This kind of structure and leadership is detrimental to our beloved country. (Foner 353-357) )If we want to survive as one nation we must come together to abolish slavery and give women the right to vote. This is completely decided by stereotypes placed on gender and race. The deconstruction of this hierarchy would lead to justice and equality, including, the right of all citizens to vote, including women of both races. (Oder, Broeck. Interview)) Currently, the only group with any political power are white males.
The voting polls should be opened to all citizens: black males, black females, white males, and white women. It was been repetitaly claimed that, “politics are too dirty for women” as women are supposed to be the moral up guardians and compasses of their households, but this assumption should not be used as a device to steal women’s right to vote. If anything, the role of being moral guardians should encourage allowing women to vote as women would raise the country’s political morals, values, and merits; guiding the country only to further better itself in all aspects. (Oder, Broeck. Interview)
Lastly, the treatment of slaves is completely inhumane from their living conditions to their exploitation of their labor. Slave women are overworked in the house, fields, and everywhere else their owners possibly need help; sometimes raped, and beaten. Women, like men, are punished for any and all insubordence to their masters or simply Sullivan3 to remind them “who they were”. The beatings leave them with broken bones, open wounds, and unbearable pain (Foner 328).
Additionally, in some cases slave women are “bred” by their masters; sometimes for the master “produce” more slaves or just because he wanted to. Being subject to their slave owner’s whim, slave women do not even have a say in what happens to their bodies. Typically exhausted, these women are forced to work tirelessly all through the day. It is not better for the slave men as they are forced to work all day as well, although, in different conditions.
They are at times whipped, beaten, and brutalized. (Course Material) Finally, families have been torn apart at slave auctions and some slaves will never see their own family members again. Children can be taken away from their mothers, and siblings torn from each other. The abuse of slaves is abominable and must come to an end. The institution of slavery has plagued our county, ruining countless amounts of innocent lives, and it will continue to take innocent lives unless we start to put an end to it by allowing both gender the right to vote.
Denying black slaves all rights, promotes the acceptance denying certain people their basic rights to some white people. Eliminating slavery will remove the barrier between women and their right to vote. Because of end to slavery will eliminate the justification for denying other human rights the government leaders must allow white women to vote because if the leaders do not, they will send the message that “ignorant” black men are smarter than women. (Oder, Broeck. Interview)
