The US Slave Blog generally focuses on the hideous institution of state sponsored slavery in the Americas. Slavery was institutionalized to enrich the plutocrats in most of the Western European nations--England (Great Britain, United Kingdom), France, Spain, Portugal, Netherlands (Holland, Dutch), Canada (which could be British or French) and the USA (which could also be British, French, Spanish, or Dutch)--by expropriating the people, land and natural resources of indigenous populations in North America, Central America, South America, Africa, Australia, and every island in between from the Caribbean to the South Pacific and the Indian Ocean. Contrary to Adam Smith's notion of "specializing and trading" to produce the wealth of nations, the Crowns of Europe impoverished native populations and enslaved brown bodies for their vast wealth.
The US Slave blog is not neutral on the topic of slavery. Slavery is wrong. There is absolutely no justification for buying, selling, trading, speculating, or breeding human beings for perpetual enslavement. Every human being is born from the womb of a woman. Every human being has the right to exist without bondage.
What a cruel irony for a nation to proclaim "freedom" and "the rights of man," while enslaving whole continents of humanity and enacting genocide on native people. In the land of the free and the home of the slave. Or, Britannia rules the waves. Britons never, never, never shall be slaves.
Personal taxation of labor is slavery. The individual's labor is his/her life. Labor is time, not effort or energy expended.
ReplyDeleteThe AntiSlavery Amendment to the US Constitution and similar provisions of state constitutions forbid taxation of labor. Many US Supreme Court decisions affirm and support this. Those government agents who force the (unconstitutional) "income" tax laws are themselves criminals as they are not hired to break the law. The supreme law of the lad is the US Constitution which forbids slavery (also called "involuntary servitude").
uphold@justice.com
Many American slave "owners" justified their "ownership" of slaves by the Bible's laws mitigating the worst aspects of slavery in the ancient world.
ReplyDeleteThose laws, if followed, while not justifying slavery, would have made slavery in America much less onerous. Slaves would have been fed, housed and clothed decently, not fed gruel and lard, housed in shacks, dressed in rags, and their health needs cared for. They would have been permitted to have personal families (spouses and children) and would not have been sold except in the interest of the slave (such as death or bankruptcy of their "owner"). They would have been taught basic reading, writing and arithmetic.
Many slave "owners" treated "their" slaves decently to well, permitting them to raise crops, make things, and even to hire themselves out or have businesses, and to sell their labor or produce for their own benefit.
This does not justify the institution of slavery; it merely mitigates the offense of individual slave "owners" under the social circumstances of the day (freed slaves banished from the state, etc.). This is why the New Testament tells Christian "owners" of slaves to treat "their" slaves as brothers and sisters and to conduct themselves kindly toward them, but does not command Christians to free "their" slaves, likely due to immoral government laws concerning freed slaves. Some of the early church writers were very harsh toward Christian slave "owners" who did not follow the "Golden Rule" toward "their" slaves. (Treat others as you would want them to treat you if your circumstances were exchanged.)
uphold@justice.com
Slavery in America today is far worse than the times when slavery was legal and supported by the state (the government). Human beings are treated as mere property, not only to be forced to labor for nothing and at their own expense, but to be murdered with impunity based on their place of residence.
ReplyDeleteuphold@justice.com
While not morally pure regarding slavery, Jefferson had a good reputation as to his treatment of "his" slaves. Freeing a dark skinned slave required the freedman/freedwoman to leave the state, which would have meant exile from family, friends and homes. His slave Sally Hemings was allowed to live in her own home in Charlottesville and eventually to relocate to where she and her two sons were not known - Sally was 3/4 white and her children were 7/8 white and were therefore able to "cross the line."
ReplyDeleteuphold@justice.com
The Constitution of the USA DOES NOT forbid slavery, read the 13th Amendment a little more closely:
ReplyDeletePassed by Congress on January 31, 1865, and ratified on December 6, 1865, the 13th amendment abolished slavery in the United States and provides that "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.".
Did you read that last clause AFTER the comma EXCEPT AS A PUNISHMENT FOR CRIME. The USA engaged in slave labor until WWII, perhaps you should familiarize yourself with the research of Douglass Blackmon's "Slavery By Another Name."
Here's a link that you can cut and paste to get yourself up to speed: http://usslave.blogspot.com/2011/06/alabama-town-blocks-slavery-documentary.html
--Ron Edwards
NOBODY HAS THE RIGHT TO OWN ANYBODY! Human beings are NOT a commodity. I don't give a crap what was in the bible that was published under the name of that slave monger King James. Slavery and enslavement was/is wrong. There is absolutely nothing under Heaven or Earth that justifies the ownership of humans.
ReplyDeleteI'm not neutral or nuanced on this subject. Slavery is wrong.
Thomas Jefferson liquidated is entire stock of slaves on the auction block, slave Sally Hemmings and Jefferson's disinherited bastard slave sons.
ReplyDeleteSale of Jefferson's slaves
Jefferson owed more than $100,000 to creditors at the time of his death. His heirs were forced to auction Jefferson's slaves and the contents of Monticello and Poplar Forest. The sale, as note in this advertisement, took place on January 15, 1827, and even the family members were required to bid for most of the items they wanted because of financial needs. Eventually, the family was forced to sell Monticello itself, for which they received a mere $4,500.
Here is a link to the Executive Sale of Jefferson's 130 enslaved human beings. http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/jefferson/images/vc212.jpg
Between 1784 and 1794 Thomas Jefferson disposed of 161 enslaved people by sale or gift.
George Washington was a better businessman and slave owner than Thomas Jefferson. George Washington freed his slaves, while Thomas Jefferson put his enslaved humanity on the auction block.
Here is the text of Thomas Jefferson's executive sale:
ReplyDeleteExecutor's Sale
Will be sold, on the fifteenth of January, at Monticello, in the county of Albemarle, the whole of the residue of the personal estate of Thomas Jefferson, dec., consisting of 130 Valuable Negroes, Stock, Crop, and Choulhold and Kitchen Furniture. The attention of the public is earnestly invited to this property. The negroes are believed to be the most valuable for their number ever offered at one time in the State of Virginia. The household furniture, many valuable historical and portrait paintings, busts of marble and plaster of distinguished individuals; one of marble of Thomas Jefferson, by Caracei, with the pedestal and truncated column on which it stands; a polygraph or copying instrument used by Thomas Jefferson, for the last twenty-five years; with various other articles curious and useful to men of business and private families. The terms of sale will be accommodating and made known previous to the day. The sale will be continued from day to day until completed. This sale being unavoidable, it is a sufficient guarantee to the public, that it will take place at the time and place appointed. Thomas J. Randolph, Executor of Ths. Jefferson, dec. January 6, 1827-2? The paintings and busts of Thos. Jefferson, dec. will not be offered for sale on the 15th of January next, but will be sent to some one of the large cities and then sold, after due notice.
Visit to JohnDBlend to get your top 1 cigaratte.
ReplyDelete