Topic: Making a stand in a climate of fear
In a climate of fear and hysteria, the line between protection and exploitation of our civil liberties is often blurred. We focus more on protecting ourselves, too afraid to make a stand against what is going on around us. We lose our sense of logic. We conform to what is keeping us safe, despite the consequences on others or later, consequences on ourselves. This is a connection that many authors and directors address and want us to think about. The authors want us to be aware that we must not be afraid to defend our rights as they are so precious. We can’t let the work of those before us, who have gone through hardships to maintain these rights, be diminished because of our fear to stand up for them. ‘The Crucible’ by Arthur Miller, ‘North Country’ by Niki Caro , ‘Good Night and Good Luck’ directed by George Clooney and ‘Suffragette’ directed by Sarah Govron are all connected through the theme of making a stand in a climate of fear. This is apparent firstly through the idea that by not making a stand we let individuals create injustice for their own personal gain. Secondly why an individual is reluctant to make a stand due to a climate of fear and lastly how making a stand can lead to a change in society.
Individuals creating injustice for their own personal gain- (there empowerment will grow if others don’t stand up against them)
Its human nature to look out for one’s self and to do what is in our best interest. In doing so people often disregard those who will be affected because they are so driven by their cause of personal gain. And if no one stands up against those driven by self gain, there may not be an end to the injustice created. An increasing number of authors and directors are pointing out these situations to us in their work so that we, as a society, are wary of what is happening around us. Clooney demonstrates this through his expression of McCarthy in ‘Good Night and Good Luck’. McCarthy was a senator for the state of Wisconsin in a time of change in the world. Cold war tension was spreading and fear of communism was apparent. McCarthy “did not create this situation of fear, he merely exploited it” using it to his advantage to better himself in his own society. He made America believe that “the state department was riddled with known Communist” and destroyed innocent people’s lives. One such life was that of Milo Radulovich who was accused of ‘hearsay evidence’ and was found guilty of being a ‘security risk’ through his association with his family. As a result of this, Radulovich lost his job and had his name blackened. This system of injustice resulted in people being too afraid to speak up. Similarly this is seen through the character Abigail in the play ‘The Crucible’. Abigail is caught ‘dancing in the wood’ which is a sign of witch craft. “Witch craft is a hangin’ error”, so in order to save herself, Abigail accuses others of being witches to take the blame away from her....
