As a citizen of the state of New Jersey, I know where my loyalties lie. I have seen, as my fellow people have, the many injustices and tyrannies committed by the state of Great Britain against us. Their behavior is incorrigible and indefensible. Once a warm and loving parent, she now strikes at the very core of our values, taking from us what is never meant to be taken. I have seen, in my own backyard, horrible battles and unnecessary bloodshed. Our ancestors fled from Britain to escape persecution; now we are strong enough to fight back for a similar cause. The loyalists are just as dangerous to us as the great power we seek independence from. They support, blindly and willingly, tyranny of men. This is our duty to those who are fighting now, to those who died in their fight for freedom, and to those brave men who will spill blood for our cause. Patriotism is the most important cause we will live to see.
Firstly, in enforcing these unjust laws and underhanded taxes, Britain has infringed on our natural rights. It is not intrinsic (inherent) that one group of people should lead over the masses. The time is now for revolutionary ideas and rebellious behavior. This is a battle that will be remembered by all, because it is just that. A Revolution. Further, Britain chooses to fight New Jersey on our ground. Coming to this land, this state, they attempt to deprecate the ideas of the hearts and minds of people. The monarchy is compromised, instead of a pillar of strength and purity; now a greedy clique taxes the people of these colonies into poverty. The purpose of government is to serve the interests of the people, the rights of the monarchy stop at cruelty, and they have far surpassed that line. As Tomas Paine stated, “The sun never shined on a cause of greater worth” (Paine)
They have slapped us with the aspersion of slave, not citizen. Our society is built on the principal of justice; we are receiving neither justice nor respect. The king had long abused all of the colonies, treating us like were enemies instead of kin. There is no difference between New Jersyians and menial workers now. We are having our core taken from us, our backbone, inarguable birthrights. Patrick Henry concurs, “I consider it as nothing less than a question of freedom or slavery”(Henry) . Do we wish to bend our backs to the cruelties committed? Will we bend like serfs to the will of a power 3000 miles away? No. We should stand together united, as a single thinking force. We are no different than those souls in England. We are the same people, suffering under the same despotism. Why are we impaired by laws, why are our towns filled with soldiers, why are we crippled from full potential? It isn’t equitable.
The people of New Jersey are worthy of freedom. We are no longer a small group of people 3000 miles away from home; we are no longer a huddled mass waiting for handouts. New Jersey is “The best country I have seen for people of middling fortunes who live by the sweat of their brows”- Jonathan Belcher. (Bill 3-4).
What could be more critical than our independence from this despotic government? If you do not wish to raise a fist against injustice for yourself, If you as a citizen do not care about the deprivation, the starvation of freedoms, that are rightfully yours, consider the future generations. One who inflects cruelties will do it again, even larger in scale. For your children, the cause is of utmost significance. For your husbands and sons facing an imposing army, the cause is of utmost importance. Britain can burn our towns, it may exert more wrongs upon us, patriot blood will be spilt. We are a state, tied together, bonded through our hardships, our sights singularly focused on the great power looming over us. But now we have the strength to fight. As a community, as a united whole, the people state of New Jersey must join this desperate fight. We will win.
Bill, Alfred Hoyt. New Jersey and the Revolutionary War. Rutgers University Press, 1992.
Henry, Patrick. "Give me Liberty or Give me Death." 23 Mar 1775 Page 1, Paragraph 1. 17 Nov 2008 .
Paine, Tomas. "Thoughts on Present State of American Affairs." Common Sense Page 1, paragraph 4. 17 Nov 2008 .
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3 comments:
Dang Amber!
this is downright amazing. you really draw the reader in and make it very interesting. it makes it sound you were there going through the hardships. at the same time, you still have a quality piece. it is my idea of amazing work.
Keep it up girl!
:]
- I was drawn in by your first sentence.
- It is very clear and understandable.
- I could easily tell what your argument was and what side you were on.
-I remember when we were assigned to read every night out of the text and the style of writing they used, I always wanted to write like that because it sounded intelligent and I think you sound like that.
This is very much college level,
A -quality work. NICE JOB!!
You have done a great job with this. I would change some of the wording, but this is just because I am very full of myself. Here are said changes:
-"The time is now for revolutionary ideas and rebellious behavior"
I would write it as "revolutionary behavior, just for extra emphasis.
-"The monarchy is compromised, instead of a pillar of strength and purity; now a greedy clique taxes the people of these colonies into poverty"
I would write it as "no longer a pillar...", once again for emphasis
-"We should stand together, united, as a single thinking force"
"We WILL stand together..." and again, for emphasis.
Overall, this was really well written, better even than mine! :)
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