William Apess and Frederick Douglass Research Paper

William Apess and Frederick Douglass - Research Paper ExampleWilliam Apess and Frederick Douglass were both men who reliable and adhered to the Christian faith while championing social causes for their slew. William Apess is a Christian minister and missionary who works among his people and fights for their recognition of their status as worthy human beings. Apess typographys illuminates the meaning of the colonial and post-colonial relationship among Native Americans and the white dominant culture as well as an understanding of the violence that permeates that relationship (Moon 45). Equally, Frederick Douglas is an ex-slave who was educated and sought to sensitize the American public on injustices against slaves and African Americans. Both men keep in laboring as advocates of human rights through their writings. Their writings classified as protest writing found enthusiastic sufferers among the entire literate black population whose resentment and indignation it voicedthe pr opel force was that once they became aware of the situation, the powerful white minority would do something to improve matters (Gaylard 20). Composed during the abolitionist Movement and Reconstruction Era, these literary works stress the superficiality and hypocrisy of the Christian Whites in their support of institutionalized, discriminatory oppression - employing their own ideologies and religious doctrines to control the masses. The superficiality of the White mans doctrine is a pull down of argument in Apess work. Apess observes that one may learn how racy (the White mans) principles are...I should say they were beat deep (Apess). The foundation of the objections to non-Whites enjoyment of their human dignity and privileges is based on the skin pigmentation. Skin color has no inherent value in any substantial and profound argument since what lies on the inside forms the core and matters most. Contrary to the racial Whites, Apess major concern is not talking about the skin, but about principles (Apess). In his day, Apess would have been familiar with the Great Chain of Being philosophy which privileges the Whites at the head of the human be given and relegates the Other to occupy lower tiers (Lovejoy 27). American Whites manipulated this concept to justify their subhuman treatment of other races. Frederick Douglass in addition perceived the superficiality of racism realizing that there was a skin aristocracy in America no not exactly the skin, it was the colour of the skin, that was the mark of distinction or the brand of degradation (Blassingame 50). Greed and outrage constitute the vices that spurred discrimination. As a consequence, millions have lived broken lives and died deaths worse than an animals. The slavery was founded on skin color without regard for other more sterling and lasting qualities such as character. Douglass marvels at the assimilation with something so trivial, yet which bears so much weight. The usage of skin color as a m eans to exalt oneself and debase another reveals the superficiality of the premises of racism. In time, the surface of any object is defaced and piecemeal stripped away. External appearances deceive however, only the content of character is real and enduring. As a Christian minister himself, Apess makes a soul-stirring appeal to the tenets of Christianity, the so-called White mans worship. White men would use their religion to validate conquest, segregation, and the institution of slavery, however, Apess wields the Holy Bible, the book which instructs Christians in defense of human rights, equality, justice and brotherhood. Apess cites in his stirring appeal that God is no respecter of persons By this shall all men know that they are my disciples, if ye have manage one to