February 19, 2017 - 22:12
I can't imagine being in a position such as Frederick Douglass' after he escaped to the North and was faced with the decision of whether or not he would be a voice in the abolitionist movement to represent his fellow slaves. I think about the enormity of the position he was deciding to place himself into. Did he know what he was getting himself into? How did he feel when he was weighing his options? To become an Abolitionist is obviously the admirable decision, he'd give voice to himself and the countless others who suffer from being voiceless, and he'd directly be fighting for a cause he truly believed in. I wonder if, and how seriously, he considered the other option, though. The option where he steps away and enjoys his much deserved freedom. What would he have done if he hadn't joined the Abolitionists? Of course it's a big decision to make, but when it comes down to it, most would agree he made the best choice for himself and his people, but I don't think people fully comprehend what it means to put your life on the line in such a way. To put himself out in the public eye the way he did meant risk of being reenslaved, it meant the pressure of representing a massive population, and it meant everything that comes along with having attention drawn to yourself. What was running through Frederick Douglass' mind when he was making these decisions?