Abolition

For me, Chapter 2 of the book Mightier than the Sword, was a very important reminder of what freedom, community organizing, and social movement is all about. As author Rodger Streitmatter points out ", it was the abolitionists editors who first built the national momentum against slavery in the 1830's and 1840's". Since blacks had no voice in society, and slavery was such a polarizing issue, it was necessary to reach out to people and change their minds about where they stood on the issue. Streitmatter’s statement depicts the important part journalism plays in fueling social movements. The freedom to have a voice in society was, and still is so deeply valued by Americans, that people such as Rev. Elijah P. Lovejoy were willing to give their lives to protect it. The First Amendment, Freedom of the Press, is what ensures that our voices can be heard.

In today’s world, the battles that Lovejoy and others fought are still significant. They paved the way for occupiers to get their word out about the Occupy Wall St. movement. Likewise, occupiers have the task to change minds about where people stand on the rights of the poor and middle class. Then, like now, people are banded together against tyranny.

Also in this chapter, the author used editor William Lloyd Garrison’s story to highlight the exhilaration that comes with freely reaching out to change minds, and succeeding. Steitmatter stated that “slaves hoisted the editor onto their shoulders and carried him to a platform in Zion’s Church, surrounded by thousands of African-American men and women who understood what he had done for them”. That sounds powerful. But what did he do for them? As the chapter illustrates, Garrison tirelessly and fearlessly continued to people speak out for those who didn’t have a voice amidst tyranny. In today’s world, it’s the voice of the poor that need to be amplified until occupiers are carried into Garrision’s world of exhilaration.