Ya learn something new every day.... :p
Saturday, July 02, 2011
Post #282 Happy 4th!
Gather your neighbors, black, brown and white, red and yellow, and green, 'round. As your great uncle, Billy Bubba Jim Bob, dressed as Thomas Jefferson, reads the Declaration of Independence, in the faint glow before the fireworks start, be sure and give a special nod of 'Thanks' to the Founding Fathers -- and their sons -- who worked tirelessly to end slavery.
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Yeah, I was also surprised to read recently that the Founding Fathers at the constitutional convention in Philadelphia during 1787 wanted to end slavery.
I did know, in general, that at the time, most people - including Southerners - thought that slavery was gradually go away. But then, Brother Eli invented the cotton gin, and as a consequence cotton growing became much more profitable and attitudes in the south began to shift with regard to slavery, until it became viewed as a positive good, even for the slaves. Huh.
As a result, for all practical purposes, black people were held in a sort of de facto peonage until the 1960s in the south, even after slavery proper was outlawed in 1865.
I got an e-pal who was confused by my "Happy 4th!" post and wanted to know if I was making fun of Sarah Palin and her Paul Revere comment. I thought I would answer here, too:
"No, I was not referring to Ms. Palin; I was snidely referring to Michele Bachmann, Republican Presidential candidate, who misspoke about slavery at the beginning of this country. Bachmann gave a speech extolling the virtues on which this country was founded, "all men are created equal," or, as she said, anybody could come here, rich or poor, no matter the language you spoke or the color of your skin. It was at this point that Bachmann realized what she was saying and acknowledged the scab of slavery and made up history to support her case that slavery was an evil recognized (well, actually, I not sure what her case was): She said the Founding Fathers "worked tirelessly" to end slavery -- common sense and the fact that slavery was written into the Constitution will tell you that is wrong. Instead of saying "HaHa! I was wrong there!" -- Bachman threw out the name John Quincy Adams who indeed did work tirelessly to end slavery as a Representative AFTER he was President. And, of course, JQA was a son of Founding Father, not a Founding Father himself. [rolleyes] And now Bachmann gets offended when it is mentioned. Like Palin, Bachmann did not admit to a brain hiccup, she argued that she was right and blamed the media.
"Great minds think alike! God help us ALL...."
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