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Essay / Muckrakers of America - 674
It's no surprise that journalists go to great lengths to "smear" a certain subject. These journalists are often given the title “muckraker.” The term has many connotations; some think they are journalists who go a little too far, while others think they are simply people whose main goal is to expose any sort of misconduct. Many people disagree on whether receiving the title "muckraker" is honorable or not, and it causes much controversy in the modern era. For this reason, it is important that everyone ends up on the same side in order to avoid further disagreements. Some people, including Jessica Mitford, consider it an honor to be considered the "Queen of the Muckrakers." Of course, this sometimes turns out to be true. Being called a muckraker can most definitely be a positive thing because it can lead to scandals being exposed and can possibly make the world a better place to live in. For example, several political scandals occurred in the 1870s. William "Boss" Tweed was a robber baron who owned most of the land in New York City, ran a federal bank, and even became a state representative in New York. Therefore, most people entrusted their assets to him. Unfortunately, Tweed was corrupt and spent the people's money on trivial things such as land and more businesses. Samuel Tilden was not a member of the majority and was suspicious of Tweed's affairs at the time. He was a journalist and, after extensive research, he had found several documents proving the truth of his accusations against Tweed. Tweed was immediately thrown into prison and Tilden was hailed as a hero. In 1876, Tilden was even put on the presidential ballot again...... middle of newspaper...... car chase. What was their objective? Just to get a photo of her and her boyfriend, Dodi Fayed. Causing any sort of physical harm in order to report a simple story that is often called "smut" is ridiculous. Being called a muckraker is almost honorable 99% of the time. The word "muckraker" can be defined differently depending on the circumstances. However, if the story harms more people than it benefits, journalists begin to fit Roosevelt's definition of the word. You shouldn't be a journalist if you want to focus on trivial things. By accepting the idea that being a muckraker is not honorable, you will not only improve society, but you will also improve your individual life by ending the daily hatred and false accusations. If everyone doesn't agree with the idea of muckraking, the world will be on its way to becoming a better place..