John Brown and Martyrdom
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- Category: History: American
- Date Submitted: 02/19/2011 11:51 AM
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Is John Brown a martyr or a terrorist? Why?
The abolitionist John Brown is a martyr because he truly believes that slavery is wrong. Terrorists usually have little to no support. Brown had the support of most of the North. The Southern newspapers used bias to convert “nonbelievers”. Terrorists kill people for a cause that they themselves support. John Brown was a valiant, God-fearing man with a purpose.
John Brown should be considered a martyr because he had great ideals he was willing to die for. Brown only uses force when necessary. For example, he raided a federal arsenal in Harpers Ferry, *West Virginia. Once it was infiltrated, he took stock of weapons with such he would use to give to helpless African-American escapees. He was not giving weapons to an already large force, as would a terrorist. He was also saving lives, not just destroying them. "If it is deemed necessary that I should forfeit my life for the furtherance of the ends of justice, and mingle my blood further with the blood of my children and with the blood of millions in this slave country whose rights are disregarded by wicked, cruel, and unjust enactments-I submit; so let it be done."- John Brown, Nov. 2, 1859. Brown himself insists that he is an “instrument of God”. Another example is the killings at Pottawatomie Creek. Brown killed five proslavery men residing there. This is justified because Brown did this in retaliation of the raid in Lawrence. This proves John Brown is a martyr.
John Brown is not a terrorist because his only purpose is to free the poor “slaves, nothing else”. Brown also had support, something a terrorist would lack. Brown had ambition, where a terrorist would only have hatred. A supporter says about Brown, quote, “[John Brown is] that new saint, than whom none purer or more brave was ever led by love of men into conflict and death,--the new saint awaiting his martyrdom, and who, if he shall suffer, will make the gallows glorious like the cross.” A...
The abolitionist John Brown is a martyr because he truly believes that slavery is wrong. Terrorists usually have little to no support. Brown had the support of most of the North. The Southern newspapers used bias to convert “nonbelievers”. Terrorists kill people for a cause that they themselves support. John Brown was a valiant, God-fearing man with a purpose.
John Brown should be considered a martyr because he had great ideals he was willing to die for. Brown only uses force when necessary. For example, he raided a federal arsenal in Harpers Ferry, *West Virginia. Once it was infiltrated, he took stock of weapons with such he would use to give to helpless African-American escapees. He was not giving weapons to an already large force, as would a terrorist. He was also saving lives, not just destroying them. "If it is deemed necessary that I should forfeit my life for the furtherance of the ends of justice, and mingle my blood further with the blood of my children and with the blood of millions in this slave country whose rights are disregarded by wicked, cruel, and unjust enactments-I submit; so let it be done."- John Brown, Nov. 2, 1859. Brown himself insists that he is an “instrument of God”. Another example is the killings at Pottawatomie Creek. Brown killed five proslavery men residing there. This is justified because Brown did this in retaliation of the raid in Lawrence. This proves John Brown is a martyr.
John Brown is not a terrorist because his only purpose is to free the poor “slaves, nothing else”. Brown also had support, something a terrorist would lack. Brown had ambition, where a terrorist would only have hatred. A supporter says about Brown, quote, “[John Brown is] that new saint, than whom none purer or more brave was ever led by love of men into conflict and death,--the new saint awaiting his martyrdom, and who, if he shall suffer, will make the gallows glorious like the cross.” A...