Persuasive Essay On George Floyd

In May 2020, George Floyd was unjustly murdered, which sparked outrage all over the United States. According to The Washington Post, an interview with Emily Boa, a protester in the George Floyd movement claims that “‘if we stopped protesting because we’re scared . . . they’ll win.’” Boa asserts that when one does not take action and protest, the opposing side will succeed. In like manner, philosopher and humanist Elie Wiesel expressed similar ideas, stating that “We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim.” Wiesel meant that when one does not choose sides, it is beneficial for the tyrant, and not the sufferer. On one hand, some claim that Wiesel is wrong, since picking sides can endanger one’s life. On the other

According to an article on MTSU.edu titled the “Salem Witch Trials,” during the unfair trials, “Most defendants lacked benefit of counsel and were assumed guilty. . . 19 individuals who had refused to admit guilt were hanged and another was pressed to death.” In the Salem Witch Trials, many innocent people were accused of practicing witchcraft but were forced to admit that they were guilty if they wanted to survive. The trials were completely unfair, since they were only based on personal accusations instead of real evidence. Since many remained neutral and did not bother to stand up or protest, more and more victims lost their lives due to false accusations, proving Wiesel right. Next, in the movie Race, track and field athlete Jesse Owens is asked to announce that America should withdraw from the 1936 Olympics due to discrimination, especially towards African Americans. However, Owens defies them and decides to play, where he won and broke the barrier of racial prejudice in the Olympics. Since Owens chooses to play, he successfully shines a light on athletes who were people of color in an environment where they faced discrimination; therefore, accounting for Wiesel’s claims. Both stories of the Salem Witch Trials and Jesse Owens demonstrate that when one stays

According to The Washington Post, an interview with Emily Boa, a protester in the George Floyd movement claims that “‘if we stopped protesting because we’re scared . . . they’ll win.’” Boa asserts that when one does not take action and protest, the opposing side will succeed. Philosopher and humanist Elie Wiesel expressed similar ideas, stating that “We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim.” Wiesel meant that when one does not choose sides, it is beneficial for the tyrant, and not the sufferer. On one hand, some claim that Wiesel is wrong, since picking sides can endanger one’s life. On the other hand, supporters of Wiesel argue that he is correct, since selecting sides helps bring justice in many circumstances. Nonetheless, Wiesel is correct when he claims that one must take sides, since not selecting sides allows the attacker to strike without backlash, and produces further agony for the