Howard Fine Critical Analysis

1590 Words7 Pages
Critical Analysis Howard Fineman’s “The Thirteen American Arguments” was a story filled take on modern politics that brought up interesting questions. Although some of his conclusions can be left up to debate the author brings up the importance of identifications whether it is a word or translation. These words and their translations are what I will be discussing. Throughout history a dominant group will step up and say who belongs and who doesn’t, who is and who isn’t, what we can do and what we can’t and usually this is while usually using established doctrines. Wordplay is the reason why most politicians seem to be lawyers not politicians. The questions brought up have been and always been either avoided or rather ingeniously walked around since the establishment of our constitution. Was it because our forefathers didn’t have an exact answer, did they foresee possible problems and left it open to time. Either way the lack of exact translation has shaped America and allowed alternate ideals to flourish. The author brings a question that although it almost has an obvious answer has been and still is a strong problem in the establishment of a fair and equal nation, and that question is “Who Is A Person”. I know the amount of historical information that can be used to validate this questions extreme struggle throughout all history is endless. I will list a few that the author brought up. When defining who is a person especially within in the realm of early constitutional history it is known that blacks were for the most part seen as tools rather than objects. During the debate on whether to allow blacks to vote an argument that stated the pros of slavery such as they raise land value, increased trade and revenue, supplied food and supported army, in emergency situations the blacks could serve as soldiers themselves. Blacks were not equal to free men but were a
Open Document