Disability and Crime
There has been, and still is, a large stigma surrounding disabled people. Founded in the 1880s, a Eugenics movement spread the myth that societal problems like crime were caused by the disabled. This idea that disabled people were inherently criminal was not new, as many early American settlements believed that disabilities were punishments from God. This movement encouraged policies to be passed that included restricting marriage and immigration and compulsory institutionalization and sterilization. Using the disabled as scapegoats for the issue of crime is another example in America’s trend to blame others for its problem with crime.
Neuhaus, Rhonda, et al. "Disability Rights through the Mid-20th Century." American Bar Association, www.americanbar.org/publications/gp_solo/2014/november_december/equality_people_disabilities_then_and_now.html. Accessed 2 Jan. 2017.
Train Robberies
United States National Museum. Postcard of the Original John Bull Engine. 1934. Smithsonian Institution Archives, siarchives.si.edu/collections/siris_sic_13803?back=%2Fcollections%2Fsearch%3Fquery%3Dtrain%2520photo%26online%3Dtrue%26page%3D1%26perpage%3D10%26sort%3Drelevancy%26view%3Dlist. Accessed 11 Jan. 2017.
In the peak of train robberies, during the late 1800’s, a train robbery was as commonplace as seeing a police officer while out on the road. It wasn’t unusual to be on a train and suddenly have it derail, explode, or get robbed. For a crime that was so prevalent during that time period, it is something we rarely see anymore. We are spoiled by our heated cars and accurate timepieces assuring that we arrive at our destination on time to the minute. During the time of train robberies, trains would often arrive hours late but people would still be content with their experience as long as they hadn’t experienced a robbery. The crime was so frequent that Hollywood movies often displayed acts of train robbery. Would we even recognize and know what a train robbery was if it occurred in one of our movies today? Would we be too distracted to even notice a crime such as a train robbery happen in the 21st century?
Methven, Jon. "Bring Back Train Robberies." The Atlantic, 30 Apr. 2014, www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2014/04/bring-back-train-robberies/361465/. Accessed 26 Oct. 2016.
To learn more about trains in American history click below
The scarlet letter
Library, Crossett. "Illustration by W.A. Dwiggins in The
Scarlet Letter." Flickr. Yahoo!, 15 Apr. 2010. Web. |
"Hester Prynne." Wikimedia Commons. N.p., n.d. Web.
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The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, centralizes around America’s Puritan past. As religion was the cornerstone of the 17th century, a direct line existed between sin and crime. Hawthorne uses the Scarlet Letter to challenge the idea of sin as a criminal offense. Should those who sin be treated as criminals? Or is sin simply part of the human experience, and something that can lead to personal growth? Around this time period, we begin to see the definition of crime and criminality slowly being released by the hand of religion.
Hawthorne, Nathaniel. "I. The Scarlet Letter. Hawthorne, Nathaniel. 1917. The Scarlet Letter & Rappaccini’s Daughter. Vol. X, Part 1. Harvard Classics Shelf of Fiction." I. The Scarlet Letter. Hawthorne, Nathaniel. 1917. The Scarlet Letter & Rappaccini’s Daughter. Vol. X, Part 1. Harvard Classics Shelf of Fiction. N.p., 1850. Web. 11 Jan. 2017.
A large theme throughout "The Scarlet Letter" is the cult of domesticity. To learn more about this phenomenon click the button below
The Mankato Executions
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When it comes to conflicts and wars, there are the “good guys” and the “bad guys.” But who is who? And who decides that? This artwork depicts the execution of the 38 Native Americans in Mankato, Minnesota, following the U.S.-Dakota War. This tragic event, among others, provides a glimpse into the war that doesn’t quite fit with the depiction of U.S as “the hero” in history books. The topic of who were the “good guys” and “bad guys” still remains a very touchy and controversial subject today. Because the U.S. won the war, it is easily assumed that we were the “good guys.” But does winning the U.S. Dakota war make the U.S. any less criminal for the unscrupulous actions taken against the Native Americans? Are there really such things as “good guys” and “bad guys” when it comes to war?
Art and Picture Collection, The New York Public Library. "Execution Of Thirty-Eight Indian Murderers At Mankato, Minnesota." The New York Public Library Digital Collections. 1863. http://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47e1-1d61-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99
Campaign Ad Using Willie Horton
During the presidential campaigns between Dukakis and Bush, an ad was released about a man by the name of Willie Horton. This ad became a focal point in the whole election and presidential campaign. According to the ad Bush supports the death Penalty, while Dukakis opposes it and is in favor of letting murderers be allowed to have weekend passes. Willie Horton was used as an example as a criminal who had committed murder, who was allowed weekend passes when Willie Horton went out on the weekend, he stabbed a man and raped his girlfriend. The Bush campaign benefitted from this and and overtook Dukakis (who was originally ahead) in the election and eventually win. This ad marked a turning point in the presidential election by creating fear around black men as criminal in the minds of the people.
Willie Horton 1988 Attack Ad. 1988. YouTube, www.youtube.com/watch?v=Io9KMSSEZ0Y. Accessed 15 Jan. 2017. Advertisement.
Willie Horton 1988 Attack Ad. 1988. YouTube, www.youtube.com/watch?v=Io9KMSSEZ0Y. Accessed 15 Jan. 2017. Advertisement.