Is the opinion of the majority-in government or in any other circumstances-a poor guide?
The entire idea of democracy centers around majority rule, where laws and standards are put into effect if most of the citizens support it. However, if people concentrate on only the majority in each circumstance, they often forget the voices and rights of the minorities. Simply because a person is in the minority of an opinion does not mean he can be ignored, for in a true democracy all the citizens are guaranteed the same rights. Thus in some circumstances strictly following the opinions of the majority is a poor guide to determining what actions to take.
The days before Americas Civil War, when slavery was prevalent, demonstrate that following majority rule often fails to respect peoples moral rights and liberty. The majority of white people in the early 1800s supported slavery because of the benefits they received from the suppressed blacks. Thus, the government reluctantly allowed slavery to be legal in America, despite the terrible sufferings of the slaves. The degraded slaves underwent uncountable terrifying experiences-they were beaten, separated from their families, and forced to toil laboriously in fields their entire lives. And because the government believed majority ruled,the slaves lived in such conditions until the Emancipation Proclamation was written during the bloody Civil War. Had the government not followed the opinions of the clamoring whites, slavery could have been abolished much sooner, and much suffering could have been avoided. Thus, in this circumstance of freedom vs. suppression, the opinion of the majority served as a poor guide to follow by the U.S. government.
Furthermore, the effects of majority rule impact Americans today, for there are many unsolved, controversial issues such as abortion, stem-cell research, and homosexual marriages. In the case of gay rights, the majority of Americans oppose people of the same sex marrying, and most of the states laws reflect this opinion. However, ignoring the wishes of gays and lesbians by enacting these laws will leave many of them unhappy because they cannot legally tie the knot with the person they love. The U.S. Constitution declares that everyone has the right to pursue happiness, but by banning gay marriages, some may be barred from the happiness of marriage. In addition, many oppose stem?cell research because they are angered by the fact that embryos are created and then destroyed. Once again, though, if the government passes a law banning such research, the minority may suffer. Stem?cell research may save lives by using the cells to specialize in a certain area. Those who would benefit from the discoveries of stem?cell research may die
2014年烟台中考英语作文题目:人生规划
2014年江苏泰州中考英语作文范文:中学生的课外生活
2014年湖南益阳中考英语作文题目:我的课余时间
2014年浙江台州中考英语作文题目:看图写作
2014年广西中考英语作文题目
2014年山东泰安中考英语作文题目:关于英语阅读计划
2014年安徽中考英语作文题目:暑期学生安全问题
2014年重庆中考英语作文题目:全民阅读倡议(C卷)
2014年上海中考英语作文题目
2014年浙江湖州中考英语作文范文:养成良好生活习惯
2014年吉林中考英语作文题目
2014年山东威海中考英语作文题目:有趣的课外活动
2014年浙江杭州中考英语作文题目:向英国朋友寻求帮助
2014年浙江湖州中考英语作文题目:合理安排时间
2014年枣庄中考英语作文题目:夏令营活动
2014年吉林中考英语作文范文
2014年江苏南京中考英语作文范文:交换生的咨询信
2014年德州中考英语作文题目:在毕业晚会上的演讲
2014年浙江台州中考英语作文范文:妈妈阻止他
2014年安徽中考英语作文范文:给大卫的一封信
2014年枣庄中考英语作文范文:参加夏令营
2014年辽宁中考英语作文题目
2014年江苏泰州中考英语作文题目:我们的课外生活
2014年云南中考英语作文范文:关于新学期
2014年山东威海中考英语作文范文:邀请笔友一起玩耍
2014年青海中考英语作文范文
2014年山东中考英语作文范文
2014年辽宁中考英语作文范文
2014年山东中考英语作文题目
2014年北京中考英语作文范文:过生日
不限 |
英语教案 |
英语课件 |
英语试题 |
不限 |
不限 |
上册 |
下册 |
不限 |