Among the men and women prominent in the public life of America there are but few whose names are mentioned as often as that of Emma Goldman. Yet the real Emma Goldman is almost quite unknown. The sensational press has surrounded her name with so much misrepresentation and slander, it would seem almost a miracle that, in spite of this web of calumny, the truth breaks through and a better appreciation of this much maligned idealist begins to manifest itself. There is but little consolation in the fact that almost every representative of a new idea has had to struggle and suffer under similar difficulties. Is it of any avail that a former president of a republic pays homage at Osawatomie to the memory of John Brown? Or that the president of another republic participates in the unveiling of a statue in honour of Pierre Proudhon, and holds up his life to the French nation as a model worthy of enthusiastic emulation? Of what avail is all this when, at the same time, the LIVING John Browns and Proudhons are being crucified? The honour and glory of a Mary Wollstonecraft or of a Louise Michel are not enhanced by the City Fathers of London or Paris naming a street after them-the living generation should be concerned with doing justice to the LIVING Mary Wollstonecrafts and Louise Michels. Posterity assigns to men like Wendel Phillips and Lloyd Garrison the proper niche of honour in the temple of human emancipation, but it is the duty of their contemporaries to bring them due recognition and appreciation while they live.

Select the sentence in the passage that most accurately describes the primary concern of the author in writing the passage.





Why does the author mention 'the President of another country' in the passage?

A. To assert that every proponent of a new idea has had to face difficulties in the past
B. To state that Pierre Proudhon had been unfairly treated by his contemporaries when he was alive
C. To demonstrate that a situation discussed earlier in the passage is prevalent in all countries
D. To provide an example of an incident in which the good work of a person was appreciated only after his death
E. To demand that Pierre Proudhon be given some compensation for the unjust treatment meted out to him when he was alive



Consider all that apply

With which of the following statements would the author most likely agree?

A. The press is primarily responsible for the negative reception that new ideas are greeted with.
B. Emma Goldman's contemporaries are partly to be blamed for the way she was treated when she was alive.
C. Nobody knows the real Emma Goldman.