Monday, October 28, 2019
Terror in 1831 America Essay Example for Free
Terror in 1831 America Essay Media is a very powerful tool in communicating with people. In so many ways, it allows us to interact with others and exchange stories with the people we know and we do not know. Media as a tool helps us to be informed about the things happening around us but at the same time, it offers exaggeration in news that may affect our perception over an issue being discussed in a hot debate. Furthermore, media sometimes spoils the moment and talks about issues which they bring into exaggeration that may cause threat to the people in the society. In 1831, media played a very important role in delivering news to the rest of the people in the South and even in the North of the American continent by informing the people of the latest happenings about the scariest massacre ever happened involving both white and black Americans. Black Americans in the White World            Throughout the history, Black Americans had been a subject for the rejection of the entire Caucasian race. Unlike Caucasians with white skin, Black Americans are commonly Black if not mulatto. They were treated as slaves and properties rather than as people like the entire society. There is racism in the air and that people have their expectations of those they will be with. A black man is not invited anyhow in any place. They will remain as the puppets of the society and though not all masters treat them bad, those who became good were only few and do not compose the entire population.            Several books in history may attest to the fact that Black Americans were mistreated and yet there were also instances that may allow us to be informed that they too can hurt people if needed. Sometimes they were the first people who are blamed when a crime happened. A Black man is always the prime suspect even if they are clear of any crime. They were portrayed as bad men and yet what we do not know is that as slaves, they were subject to being fooled and being degraded as person. Slaves as they are, with no freedom of their own and the society condemned them of being such for the longest time. 1831 Years of Eclipse            The slaves in Virginia in 1831 almost outnumbered the population of white men (Masur, page 10) which means that there had been a large number of slaves in the state that people have nothing to do anymore and these slaves were the ones who does the chores for them and almost all the jobs except for administrative labors. In Louis P. Masur’s story entitles â€Å"1831 Years of Eclipse†, he talked about the massacre in Virginia and how it changed the lives of the people living there. An account of the massacre including the people involved and slavery in the South, this book talked not only about the issue but how media treated it as news. The massacre in Virginia wherein several white men died including their whole family was caused by rebels composed of Black Americans in the leadership of Nat Turner. The Slave Revolt which happened in 1831 in Virginia caused too many deaths in the state that it also caused too many fear among the residents. There were over or nearly two million slaves in Virginia and the people, particularly the slave masters thought that they are contented already. They claimed that they were good masters and yet they were not saved (Masur, page 10). No one is left alive. Everyone is killed and for a long time, there had been fear all around until the rebels were caught in the absence of Nat Turner. When Nat Turner was caught, he surrendered immediately and when he was interviewed, he said he was never sorry and perhaps he had felt that what he did was the right thing to do I exchange of all the things they experienced as slaves of the upper class society. Media and the Massacre On the other hand, the newsmakers or the journalists did not make too much noise until the massacre happened between the slaves and the masters. It was the scariest story in history that every people in Virginia were contained of fear. However, the newspapers editor did try their best to stop the growing fear that the people had by minimizing the story and offering less exaggeration. Despite of the goal of minimizing exaggeration so that people will not be restricted with too much fear of the current situation in Virginia, different newspapers offered different news and approach towards the incident that no matter how much they try to prevent the attack of fear in people. For three long months, every newspaper released their statements over the issue and each statement contains different facts that there is no consistency of the truth anymore. Although they tried their bests to explain the tragedy, why it happened and why Nat Turner did allowed it to happen, it is useless to think about it that much because the people were already killed and it is all done. One of the newspapers which was firm with their call for the abolition of slavery in the South is â€Å"The Liberator†wherein William Lloyd Garrison (Masur, page 22). Picturing myself in 1831 America            Spoiling the news or adding exaggeration to it might affect the perception of the people. As a person living in 1831, I could say that the exaggeration in the news and at the same time several information which have no basis could have affected my perception and outlook towards the problem of the society. Different information coming from the media will not help in any way to relax the mind of the public. At the same time, it will not allow us to know more about the issue because there is no hint of which one is true.            I would definitely be afraid if I was in that time that Nat Turner led a revolt against their masters. In the perspective of a White person being victimized by Black rebels, I will be very afraid of my life because I have no idea when they will take it away. It is something that I would not want to happen because it is a matter of life and death already. On the other hand, as a black man who suffered too much from the hand of my masters, I cannot blame myself if I would dare to something like the massacre just to escape from their dictatorial masters.            Media as a tool in communication might give us too many information that we can never contain and too many exaggerations will only open the possibility of being more afraid than ever, furthermore, as a citizen in 1831, the exaggerations and incompetent information given by the newspapers will not help to ease the fear in me. Black Americans suffered too much that the revolt seems to be their way of getting back to their masters who degraded them as a person. Works Cited Masur, Louis P. 1831 Years of Eclipse
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