Voice Of Minority Groups

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There are many things that stand out in America as we have all come to know it today. Among those that are in the majority there are no worries, and things are typically thought to be very equal and just. Everything is relative, and compared to the past everything is equal and just, but there is a lot of ground that can still be made. There are numerous examples throughout our history of people stating grievances in the cases of women’s rights, African American rights, GLBT issues, and even the unstated privileges white people are given today. America was founded strongly with expressions such as, “all men are created equal” (Jefferson, 1776, p. 5). There are many arguments to be made that this expression was not all people, but all men because those in power are self-interested. Whites still have privileges that would not want to be given up, and disadvantages are given to minority groups in turn. African American, women, and GLBT issues are still very present today, and people are still suffering because of it.

The thought of equality was started when Jefferson wrote The Declaration of Independence at the originating times of America. The thought of equality was a cornerstone in the building of our government. The founding fathers started this thread of self-interest that is continuing on even today. White men all wrote and decided on the founding principles of our country at the onset in 1776. It is because of their self-interest that everything was setup giving whites, and especially white men many advantages. People in power do not want to give up the advantages they have been given without a fight. This is evident in the fact that whites still have not given up very many, if any of the advantages in everyday life. The truth is that those in power are for some reason afraid of sharing this power. For people to stay in power they feel they must not let others obtain any for themselves. We now live in such a diverse country it has proved to be too great of a task for anybody to be successful in the attempt.

The Declaration of Sentiments is an article written collaboratively by Mary Ann McClintock, Lucretia Coffin Mott, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Martha Coffin Wright. It was written at the Seneca Falls convention of 1848, the first of several public women’s rights gatherings in America.

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