The Pledge of Allegiance was published in 1892, stating that everyone has liberty and justice. This was a confusing statement to many minorities because they had never felt like they had been close equal. These civil pledges and liberties were always thought to be the best for the community, but many attacks happened because of the flaws in our society. The attacks on civil liberties today are similar to the attacks on civil liberties during the World War I era, because of the prevalence of racism, immigration issues, and social justice outbreaks.
Racism is still as serious today as it was back then. After WWI the highest, most wealthy men were white. Some people argue to this day that, “laws aren’t put in place to protect us but to protect the investments of the wealthy” (Share America Staff, 2017). Even the white men who weren’t wealthy came back from WWI seeking for an underdog to harass, and those being harassed were African-Americans and Freeman.
“Returning Confederate soldiers created groups to rob and interrogate freeman. Some wealthier whites created agriculture and police clubs as part of a systematic plan But really it was a way to be racist and justify it” (History.com Editor Staff, 2010). These clubs were able to convene because they made it seem justifiable but unlike slave patrol and other groups the Ku Klux Klan followed outside of the normal laws. Due to them being so big and powerful they were able to expand and still be a organization today.
If the civil liberties of the people were able to be manipulated and are still twisted today. Our civil liberties are under attack every day it may not be as harsh but it sure is prevalent.
The Palmer Raids caused a bunch of immigration issues. Also, WWI didn’t help by adding strife and tension. Palmer believed that there were communist immigrants in America who were trying to infiltrate and corrupt the government. Palmer was late to the anti-communist stan and also was known for encouraging civil liberties. This didn’t stop him from making his mark on immigration. “Palmer believed that the way to deal with the radicals was to deport the immigrants. On December 21, 249 radicals, including anarchist Emma Goldman, were packed aboard the USS Buford, which the press dubbed the Soviet Ark, and deported to Russia” (Dehler, 2018). Once the public saw how extreme things were getting they shut it down. “American public opinion shifted under Palmer’s feet. As news of the brutality of the raids became public and the constitutionality of the actions was brought into question, many, including the National Civil Liberties Bureau, publicly challenged Palmer’s actions”(Dehler, 2018). The Palmer some came to an end but the Red Scare had a lasting enprint on society.
Civil liberties have been put in place for years but have always been under some sort of attack, whether it’s racism, immigration, or strikes for higher income. It takes a lot of disruption for a social justice outbreak to happen. After World War I there was a sweep of emotion Across the Nation that made people disheartened and lost trust this feeling was also empowered with unemployment, violence, Strikes, and riots all of this led up to a bombing which increased public pressure for an action against the radical agitators (Dehler, 2018). There are racist, radical agitators today who were the reason the Black Lives Matter movement started. This is also a march for justice that started because enough was enough. Just how enough was enough for Palmer’s reign to continue.
Our society will always have flaws, people will always be let down, and our civil liberties will continue to be attacked. The attacks on civil libraries will always be similar to the attacks on civil liberties during WWI because our nation can’t find a middle ground on discrimination, immigration, and the importance of civil rights. The Ku Klux Klan, Nativism, Palmer Raids, And Red Scare all had an impact on how our government perceives the significance of rights for our people. As a nation, we need to continue fighting and having a voice for the voiceless. Maybe One day we will have peace worldwide, or maybe disagreement is in our nature.
Oath of Allegiance Where It Talks About Freedom and Justice. (2022, Apr 27). Retrieved from https://paperap.com/oath-of-allegiance-where-it-talks-about-freedom-and-justice/