Assigment #1 Eng 101

        In 1791 an African american named Benjamin Banneker wrote a letter to the former president of the United States Thomas Jefferson. In this letter he expressed to Jefferson his beliefs on how all humans are equal because God or as he said the "Father" has " afforded us all the same sensations and endowed us all with the same faculties". However he made it quite clear that he was not happy or satisfied with jeffersons actions. He claimed that jefferson had not followed his own statements on the declaration of independence of all humans being " entitled to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." And also, in the most respectful way possible called him a liar and a criminal against religion, nature and humanity.
        Like Banneker, Equiano from The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equinano , was also a slave. In the passage he describes his experiences in the slave ships. In these crowded ships people were treated unfairly and were forced to travel under unsanitary conditions. Its easy for the reader to understand all the kinds of emotions felt by Equiano, some of which were fear and anxiety. He's experience in these ships were horrifying, like being a witness of how people would die before his eyes from sickness.
       Now you may ask yourself, If were all feeling creatures, how could we not feel for each other?. In other words , how could the slave-traders treat slaves in such way without feeling any remorse. In my opinion the answer to this question depends on who's answering it. There is always one person that wants to be on top, which i think has been our biggest problem, because as long as that person is getting what they want, they don't care of who they step on along the way. Yes,we all have the ability to feel, but some more than others. Some people would do anything to get what they want in life, even if that means hurting someone physically, mentally and emotionally. I also believe that one thing that might effect me in a big way and make me feel something, like knowing someone does not have food or shelter, might not effect someone else. The first step to making people act differently towards each other is making them feel something.