Incrimination Kills

2552 104th St.

Orlando Fl, 32801

March 29, 2016

Dear society,

Incrimination kills. Literally. How is one to so simply accuse another of being something or of being guilty. Assumptions lead to nothingness. People shouldn't assume or incriminate others based on signs.

In the article written by Leah Beckmann "17 signs that you'd be a witch" she gives a list of signs people in the 1600's believed could identify a real witch. "First, you're a female, you have one or more female friends, you have had an argument with one or more of your friends, you're very young, you're a midwife, you're married with either too many kids or not enough, butter or milk has spoiled in your fridge, etc. Today in our society people would think these signs are absolutely bizarre because we'd all be considered witches.

In the crucible by Arthur Miller one of the characters named Betty Paris has just gone through traumatic experience watching her cousin Abby, someone she looked up to after her mother passed; drink blood in order to kill her former boss Goody Proctor because she is in love with her husband Mr. Proctor. Betty was hysterical lying in bed for days and nobody could seem to help her or diagnose her with anything. People thought that it was because her and her friends danced for the devil and committed other sins.

(Logos) For example, Rebecca Nurse who was a 70 year old woman with eleven children and 26 times a grandma. She was a innocent lady just trying to help. Her having had watched so many kids grow she knew more than anyone how to care for a child with her motherly touch. However her intentions weren't see that way to Mrs. Putnam. Mrs. Putnam let her ignorance and envy of her seven children's deaths to assume that Rebecca touchy Betty and calming her down was her "tempting her iniquity" (Miller) She was later blacklisted, convicted, and put to death for no rational decision other than them believing she was a witch based on signs and mob mentality.

(Pathos) Now imagine yourself in the 1600's having your own family and because you have more children than what is considered average they accuse you and your daughters or witchcraft. now your children's lives and yours are hanging by a thread. All your children are younger than the age of ten. Since they're children there isn't much they understand because the see nothing wrong but now are exposed to this incrimination. And as a mother you always want give the best and protect your kids so no harm comes to them.

(Ethos) As a personal experience people made assumptions of me for how I look or how I am all because of ignorance and lack of social consciousness. I am Hispanic but since I am some people like to assume I must be Mexican. Even though I am I still get offended because I have family members and friends who aren't. Out of respect of their background culture and where they come from. Thinking we are all the same and fitting us into stereotypes. Equality is very important to me being treated and treating others as we are, people. However, not respecting or not trying to understand where someone comes from is something I find disrespectful. I have a friend who people often made assumptions of. This one girl asked for his ethnicity he replied with "Hispanic". She then said "yeah but what kinda Mexican are you?" When he was actually Dominican. Some disrespected where he came from because they didn't take the time to understand anything.

In conclusion, people shouldn't assume or incriminate others based on signs they see or accusations without having factual evidence.

Works Cited: Beckmann, Leah "17 Signs That You'd Qualify as a Witch in 1692." Mental Floss. Web. 30 Mar. 2016.

Miller, Arthur. The Crucible: A Play in Four Acts. New York: Viking, 1953. Print.