Violence vs. Assertiveness
Milana Shvets
Dissent in America
Professor Mellis
March 1, 2013
Milana Shvets
Professor Mellis
Dissent In America
01 March 2013
Violence vs. Assertiveness
Whether the topic is about ancient times or modern day society, the theme of dissent continues to reoccur throughout history. Icons such as Thomas Paine and Sojourner Truth prove this statement to be true because of their rebellions during the difficult times in American history. When England was still the mother country of the thirteen colonies, Thomas Paine wrote the pamphlet Common Sense using an obvious tone to convince his listeners that separating from the British would be the right thing to do. Similarly, Sojourner Truth used clear similarities between men and women in Ain’t I A Woman? to create her argument that a woman should not be treated differently than a man. These historical figures made their voices heard by using straightforward arguments to be heard without using violence. Comparable to their arguments is the disagreement towards gay marriage in society today. Although some articles are aggressive, others such as Brandon Vogt’s “What’s Wrong With Gay Marriage? Let Me Count The Ways...” have an obvious tone. Despite the fact that violet rebellion may be quicker and sometimes more effective, dissenters such as Thomas Paine, Sojourner Truth, and Brandon Vogt prove that a strong argument and an obvious tone can compel a listener to believe in their reasoning and ultimately make it more effective.
In 1776, the colonies were still owned by their mother country England. Although many of the colonists were angry with the country, they considered themselves British and were willing to conform to anything they were told. Thomas Paine was instantly irritated when he relocated to the colonies, and only a year after wrote his pamphlet Common Sense. In his pamphlet, Paine uses an assertive tone in order to make the colonists believe that...