AP English Essay

Submitted By amclev1013
Words: 599
Pages: 3

Each country has their own definition of what classifies someone as a traitor, although the concept is universal. Acts of dissent or protest are not as punishable as an act of treason typically because protests are created by a large number of citizens seeking out a way to change something for the better of their nation. Contrary to treason where someone rebels against their nation for selfish reasons. The statement by Rebecca West “All men should have a drop or two of treason in their veins” is not only inaccurate but inconsiderate to the citizens of our nation.
Every man having the capability to commit acts of treason would be an unsettling situation to live in. A traitor is defined as “a person who betrays a friend, country, principle, etc.” and anyone who commits a crime of treason is then labeled indefinitely as a traitor to their country. Why should every man have the capability of betraying their families, friends, veterans of the nation, and higher officials? There are more efficient ways to deliver messages and protests are a big example. A big example of how protests can provide change in a civil, organized manner are the marches led during the Civil Rights Movement asking for desegregation, people coming together to march in front of the white house carrying posters with their feelings plastered in bold letters across the front side of the board. Martin Luther King proposed his “I had a dream” speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial with all of the followers of this movement in a crowd before him. Every man should have a drop or two of protest within them, with the ability to stand up with others to fight for something they believe is right. Leaking government secrets, or murdering the President are examples of things we should not have within ourselves to do.
Acts of dissent can be as simple as writing letters to government officials, and doesn’t that seem more peaceful than plotting the death of an elected official because you don’t like the policies they’ve changed? Having a sense of right and wrong while still being able to express your disapprovals is more beneficial to the population as a whole instead of selfishly making