American History Since 1865

According to the article by Joseph McCarthy on Communism “It has not been the less fortunate or members of minority groups who have been selling this nation out, but rather those who have had all the benefits that the wealthiest nation on earth has had to offer — the finest homes, the finest college education, and the finest jobs in government we can give.” In essence, McCarthy claimed that he had a list of communists in the American gov’t, but really no hard evidence to prove it; as he also states in the article; “I have in my hand 57 cases of individuals who would appear to be either card-carrying members or certainly loyal to the Communist Party, but who nevertheless are still helping to shape our foreign policy.

” McCarthy didn’t know what he was talking about; he destroyed the lives of hundreds of innocent officials and citizens, while taking advantage of the fears of communism post WWII to become incredibly influential.

It was a lot of injustice going on, so many people decided to come together and fight for what they believed in from the civil rights movement that fought to bring an end to political, economic, and social practices that discriminated against African Americans, the student movement; which wanted greater student power According the Hopewell Va. newspaper article ‘Business as usual.’ “Colleges will suspend classes Wednesday in observance of the moratorium,” The students wanted to stand up for what was right, and to show that even though they may have been young that they care and wanted to be a part of what was going on in their nation; it was a way to show their respects and to honor the protest of the war, the Anti-Vietnam war movement; protested Americans involvement in the war, the women’s movement; fought to bring full equality to American women. According to the National Origination for Women “Statement of Purpose” “The purpose of NOW is to take action to bring women into full participation in the mainstream of American society now, exercising all the privileges and responsibilities thereof in truly equal partnership with men.” In essence, they created a group for women fighting for civil rights, because everyone was fighting for something but the rights of women; they were tired of being oppressed, they wanted more opportunities and to be equal to men, so they came together and fought for their beliefs. The gay rights movement; tried to end bias and laws against homosexuals, and the environmental movement; fought to change conditions with manmade pollution, pollution growth and misuse of natural resources.

A lot of people were fighting to change government policies; while these movements changed everyday living. Americans marched, petitioned, rallied and so much more just to make a difference. Television contributed to the social reform, it allowed others to see what was going on around the world. Economic prosperity had a major impact; with individuals wondering why people were still in poverty, but it was all because of the discrimination that was still going on. According to Lyndon Johnson in the “Howard University commencement address” 1965 “You do not take a person who; for years has been hobbled by chains and liberate him, bring him up to the starting line of a race and then say, “you are free to compete with all the others,” and still justly believe that you have been completely fair.” In essence, it shows that he wanted to end poverty and injustice, he wanted everyone to have civil rights and to really be free, so he made sure he fought for just that and felt that he owed at least that to Kennedy; since he could not see his bill be passed.

Anti-feminists rallied against the Equal Rights Amendment and the eroding traditional family unit. Many ordinary Americans were shocked by the sexual permissiveness found in films and magazines. According to the “Statements from the Parents Music Resource Center.” “Our primary purpose is to educate and inform parents about this alarming trend as well as to ask the industry to exercise self-restraint.” In essence, they wanted a rating system for music and other explicit content so parents wouldn’t have to worry about their children getting exposed to all the bad behaviors being spoken or acted out. Those who believed homosexuality was sinful criticized the newly vocal gay rights movement. As the divorce and crime rates rose, an increasing number of Americans began to blame the liberal welfare establishment for social diseases. According to the “Statements of Aids Patients” 1963. “I know a number of people who refuse to identify themselves to their community, even to their family, as having the syndrome, because there is such tremendous stigma and isolation attached to it.”

In essence, this affects our nation as a whole; the lack of consideration, is hurting everyone just based off of one person not telling the next that they are positive; It’s something that could have been prevented; if more people are to open up. Jerry Falwell formed the Moral Majority organization; this group and hundreds of others raised money to defeat liberal senators, representatives, and governors. They sought to control school boards on the local level to advance their conservative agenda, they were against abortions and homosexuality as he states in the article “Homosexual Revolution” “Please remember, that homosexuals do not reproduce! They recruit!” In essence, evolutionary studies shows that homosexuals do not recruit people; they are simply born that way, and everyone sins, so we cannot talk down on someone else cause that simply is a sin in itself, so if only god can judge us why do everyone judge homosexuals on the way they live; we are all free to love and be who we want. Ronald Reagan freely accepted contributions from the New Right on his way to the Presidency in 1980.

According to Reagan in his first Inaugural Address “Government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem.” In essence, he believed; the government was becoming too strong and causing a disruption in the nation, he felt that if we cannot govern ourselves then neither can the government, he wanted to cut the government down and increase military power and the Ultra-libertarian militia groups that formed in many states were dedicated to attacking the American government, that they believed had become far too invasive. Like most movements, the New Right contained an extremist element. The racial hatred group; the Ku Klux Klan joined the outcry against American moral decline; everyone has their views on right and wrong and everyone’s morals are different, therefore the nation will forever have hatred groups but its up to us to fight to try to break them.

With all the international and domestic challenges the united states faced with other countries; we fought and still came out on top, the U.S may have a lot of work to do but if they keep on working together to keep making changes and fighting for what’s right the nation will only get stronger and many of the wars, social and economic problems will be ceased to a certain extinct the nation will not be perfect but it could be close to what other nations would like to be like. According to Winston Churchill in the Lyndon Johnson commencement address “It is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.” In essence, fighting for what you believe in is the only way a change can be made, sitting and waiting for others to do something; will get nothing done be the change you want to see in the world.

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