(07-12-2019 08:26 AM)RiceLad15 Wrote:  

(07-11-2019 10:38 AM)tanqtonic Wrote:  

(07-11-2019 09:57 AM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  Beta steps in it

"I know this from my home state, Texas, places that formed the Confederacy, that this country was founded on white supremacy,"

"And every single institution and structure that we have in this country still reflects the legacy of slavery and segregation and Jim Crow and suppression, even in our democracy."

What a douche nozzle. Utterly overlooks that the United States was the very first British 'possession' to at least partially renounce slavery; actually ended the slave trade prior to Britain and France; and we literally bled 6 per cent of the combined male population of the two sides to end it here once and for all.

When you actually read the writings of the Founders, to a very large degree they were anti-slavery -- interestingly at times being slaveowners themselves at the time.

When looked at in a historical sense, the United States overall was an amazing catalyst to ending slavery.

In fact, the mere existence and continuance of slavery very nearly kept the formation of the United States from happening --- the solution was either a disjointed collection of 13 (14 when you count Vermont) sovereigns or they 'covered the problem over and kicked the can down the road 80 years'. And again, that problem once again nearly rendered the Union apart --- and the question was 'solved' literally by force of arms, brother against brother. With one in sixteen males literally dying over the question.

And after bleeding out the one in sixteen, literally the first country to write into its base documents (not law, but constitutionally) not just that slavery was abolished, but the concepts embodied in the 15th and 16th amendments as well.

F-ck Robert. And the horse he rode in on. And the rhetoric he spews. And the real problem is that he isnt the only douche nozzle that spouts this.

And, while Trump is no angel in 'making things nice', I find it amazing that while Trump may be derided as hate speech, the typical and absolute rhetorical ignorance that Robert's statement is a prime example is lauded by many, and the term 'hate speech' will never, ever even be thought of to apply the crap that that statement is emblematic of.

Didn’t know a lot about the timeline of international slave trade so I looked into it a bit, as I remembered the US being late to the ending slavery party. The slave trade was abolished in the US and Britain at almost the exact same time - both had laws passed in 1807. Britain formally banned slavery in 1838. France and other European countries were later to the slave trade banning, as compared to the US, but generally, were much quicker to outlaw slavery itself.

And, while I routinely argue that the Civil War was heavily related to slavery (you can find a number of back and Firth’s with at least OO on this), I don’t know if I would characterize the war as being about the north trying to end slavery, as much as it was about the south trying to keep slavery. But I agree that the war was directly connected to the continuation of slavery, and ignoring the Civil War as a testament to America’s willingness to directly confront and fight for continuing racial equality leaves out some important context.

So yes, our country’s history does have its progressive moments with regards to race, especially in comparison to our peers. But it also is stained with racist events and historical truths. How can you try and tout how racially just our Constitution is, while ignoring that it also had the 3/5 compromise included in it, prior to being amended? Our history is complex.

Complex enough that it shouldn't be reduced to election soundbites and cutting a check to make it all better?