William Apess and Frederick Douglass Research Paper

William Apess and Frederick Douglass - Research Paper ExampleWilliam Apess and Frederick Douglass were both men who accepted and adhered to the Christian faith while championing social causes for their people. William Apess is a Christian minister of religion and missionary who works among his people and fights for their recognition of their status as worthy human beings. Apess writings illuminates the meaning of the colonial and post-colonial relationship between Native Americans and the albumin 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 persist in laboring as advocates of human rights through their writings. Their writings classified as protest writing found burning supporters among the entire literate black population whose resentment and indignation it vo icedthe motivating 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 foundation garmentalized, discriminatory subjugation - employing their own ideologies and religious doctrines to control the masses. The superficiality of the White mans doctrine is a point of argument in Apess work. Apess observes that one may learn how deep (the White mans) principles are...I should say they were skin 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 repute 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 talki ng most 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 race and relegates the Other to assimilate lower tiers (Lovejoy 27). American Whites manipulated this concept to justify their subhuman treatment of other races. Frederick Douglass also perceived the superficiality of racism veridicalizing that there was a skin grandeur 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 prejudice 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 preoccupation with something so trivial, yet which bears so much weight. The usage of sk in color as a means to exalt oneself and extend another reveals the superficiality of the premises of racism. In time, the surface of any object is defaced and gradually stripped away. External appearances deceive however, only the content of character is real and enduring. As a Christian minister himself, Apess makes a stirring appeal to the tenets of Christianity, the so-called White mans religion. 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 tell apart that they are my disciples, if ye have love one to