alt.politics.economics

no surrender wrote:
> RECOMMENDED READING FOR CONSERVATIVES, REQUIRED FOR WEE, TWEE, AND FEY =
LIBS
>=20
> FROM AND FREE REPUBLIC
>=20
> SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT
>=20
> Those who want to discredit the United States and to deny our role as
> history=92s most powerful and pre-eminent force for freedom, goodness a=
nd
> human dignity invariably focus on America=92s bloody past as a slave-ho=
lding
> nation. Along with the displacement and mistreatment of Native American=
s,
> the enslavement of literally millions of Africans counts as one of our =
two
> founding crimes=97and an obvious rebuttal to any claims that this Repub=
lic
> truly represents =93the land of the free and the home of the brave.=94 =
According
> to America-bashers at home and abroad, open-minded students of our hist=
ory
> ought to feel more guilt than pride, and strive for =93reparations=94 o=
r other
> restitution to overcome the nation=92s uniquely cruel, racist and rapac=
ious
> legacy.
>=20
> An honest and balanced understanding of the position of slavery in the
> American experience requires a serious attempt to place the institution=
in
> historical context and to clear-away some of the common myths and
> distortions.
>=20
> Here are six facts about slavery in America:
>=20
> 1. SLAVERY WAS AN ANCIENT AND UNIVERSAL INSTITUTION, NOT A DISTINCTIVEL=
Y
> AMERICAN INNOVATION.
>=20
> 2. SLAVERY EXISTED ONLY BRIEFLY, AND IN LIMITED LOCALES, IN THE HISTORY=
OF
> THE REPUBLIC =96 INVOLVING ONLY A TINY PERCENTAGE OF THE ANCESTORS OF T=
ODAY=92S
> AMERICANS.
>=20
> 3. THOUGH BRUTAL, SLAVERY WASN=92T GENOCIDAL: LIVE SLAVES WERE VALUABLE=
BUT
> DEAD CAPTIVES BROUGHT NO PROFIT.
>=20
> 4. IT=92S NOT TRUE THAT THE . BECAME A WEALTHY NATION THROUGH THE AB=
USE OF
> SLAVE LABOR: THE MOST PROSPEROUS STATES IN THE COUNTRY WERE THOSE THAT =
FIRST
> FREED THEIR SLAVES.
>=20
> 5. WHILE AMERICA DESERVES NO UNIQUE BLAME FOR THE EXISTENCE OF SLAVERY,=
THE
> UNITED STATES MERITS SPECIAL CREDIT FOR ITS RAPID ABOLITION.
>=20
> 6. THERE IS NO REASON TO BELIEVE THAT TODAY=92S AFRICAN-AMERICANS WOULD=
BE
> BETTER OFF IF THEIR ANCESTORS HAD REMAINED BEHIND IN AFRICA.
>=20
> Full essay at /focus/f-news/1906326/posts
> ******
> Thoughts, comments?
>=20
> Dennis
>=20
>=20

/students/his3487/lembrich/images/slaver=
=2Egif
/students/his3487/lembrich/images/slaver=
=2Egif