Emma Goldman

4 Pages 983 Words

Emma Goldman was a major figure in the history of American radicalism. “She received fame for her advocacy of both free thought and anarchism” (Emma Goldman”). She was a courageous and outspoken anarchist, as well as one of the greatest radical propagandists in the United States (“Emma Goldman”). Along with being an exceptional propagandist, Goldman was also a good organizer who campaigned for more than thirty years to define the limits of dissent and free speech during the Progressive American era (“Emma Goldman”). During the period in which she lived, expressing controversial view points were dangerous, especially for women. Many people considered her ideas to be radical and dangerous, for example she opposed involuntary military service because she believed in free choice in all aspects of life (“Emma Goldman”). Goldman also believed that a campaign to prepare for war would result in a militarized America. Furthermore, she argued that a complete transform of social and economic values were needed.
In Goldman’s “Patriotism: A Menace to Liberty” she says, “patriotism requires allegiance to the flag, which means obedience and readiness to kill father, mother, brother, sister” (179). Patriotism, as described by Oxford American Dictionary is “love of country; devotion to the welfare of one’s country; the passion which inspires on to serve one’s country”. Furthermore, being a patriot as defined by Oxford American Dictionary is, “one who loves and defends his or her country”. Because Goldman was a radical and an exceptional propagandist she describes loving or taking pride in ones country as a willingness to kill your family for the good of the country. Moreover, Goldman’s radical view points on how the United States military funding is too much and actual size of the military is too big. The United States of America is a nation created by war; the first war was the French and Indian war when wha...