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The Crucible/Goodnight and Good Luck Essay

In ‘The Crucible,’ John Procter gives his life to defend his concept of justice and truth. Two and a half centuries later, Edward R. Murrow went against Joseph McCarthy to defend democracy and truth, which he felt were being threatened, risking his television show and career in the process.
One could say that these two individuals were foolish in the risks that they took, especially considering that there was no guarantee that their fight would be won. Both individuals could easily have gone on with their lives and careers without having to jeopardize anything. But they made the sacrifice and chose to do so anyways.
What these men did was dangerous, but their actions were not in vein because it is necessary to defend liberty and truth when they are under siege. If people like Procter did not stand up for what they believed in, more people would have ended up being hanged or burned alive. If people like Edward R. Murrow did not fight against McCarthyism, the United States could be a very different place today.
There is no unworthy cause, and it is always respectable to stand up for what you believe in, no matter what the consequences may be. In the grand scheme of things, even if at the time your actions are unsuccessful, often times it turns out that future generations look back on your noble stand for what you believe in and draw inspiration from it, despite the fact that it was unsuccessful.
Therefore, there is no such thing as a hopeless cause, and the risks are worth taking in order to protect what you believe in. Even if you fail in your attempt, the fact that you fought in the first place is sometimes the most valiant display of courage there is.