"The Problem of Slavery in the Age of Emancipation"

[L Verge]

"It turned your flesh into its own cupboard" is an interesting way of describing the ongoing need to restate the evils of slavery. I would, in turn, state that many things in cupboards become outdated and rotten and need to be thrown out. That is my opinion on the constant rehashing of the slavery issue. We had a bad system (as did many civilizations), and we fought a horrible military war and (so far) another 150 years of raging words and riots and condemnations from both sides. What has it gotten us?

Until we stop blaming an outdated system and work to overcome what still divides us, we are failures.

I happen to live and work in a county that is over 90% black. It is also the most economically prosperous black county in the nation. Black doctors, lawyers, politicians, sports stars, TV personalities, members of Congress, etc. live in my county; and all major political and civic positions are held by blacks. There is a high percentage of blacks in the police force - including, until the recent election, a black chief. And yet, we still have pockets of black poverty and high crime statistics for that race.

If we haven't learned by this time that slavery was wrong, then god help us! If we're still blaming the past for the sins of today, god help us. If we can't see the problems that are right in front of us today and become part of the solutions for the future, we're doomed. I would hope that we could clean out that old cupboard and come up with some new concoctions that stop us from always throwing the blame on the other side.