The Slave Ship

[HerbS]

Typical Confederate excuse for racism.How can one man own another man?

[Eva Elisabeth]

Herb, please don't forget - not only the Confederates held slaves! (And I assume the excuses were everywhere the same.)

[HerbS]

Eva-In the North they were called"Farmhands".But,in the North,there were big farm famlies to hide the word of slavery.In the South,they had poor-white share-croppers to keep the institution of slavery alive and well.Today,we have another name for it-migrant-farmers.So,go-figure.As long as a profit is to be made there will always be man's inhumanity to man!

[Wild Bill]

Look back in human history, People, and you will see until recently that freedom is the exception, the ideal, not the rule. Actually the United States under the Articles and then the Constitution is the exception in world government. And much of this goes through the British influence from the Magna Carta onward in dribs and dabs.

[HerbS]

I agree with Wild Bill and his historical perspective.

[Eva Elisabeth]

The Germans' (and other Europeans') form of slavery was the "Leibeigenschaft". Wiki uses the term "serfdom", "bond slavery" meets it better IMO.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serfdom

[Eva Elisabeth]

Allow me to remark and remind of that there exists still IMO a modern form of slavery, and I admit, too, might be a "slaveholder" as I at times buy cheap clothing or other products made in those countries, probably by children forced to labor:
http://www.law.harvard.edu/programs/lwp/...labor.html
I think the USA are ahead (compared to Germany) in selling less of these textiles etc. and more home (thus "fairly") made products instead (at least that was my impression).

[HerbS]

Eva-Thanks for being so honest and forthcoming about your heritage.Slavery exists today in different forms.That is why we must study history to make sure that it does not happen again.Sometimes,I feel that we are fighting a never-ending uphill battle.The USA does not have a clean record when it comes to percecution-example-Native Americans-Blacks-Chinese-Japanese-etc,etc,etc.But,we do admit our wrongs.Just to cleanse my soul,I checked my family'record.We had no slaves,but we had farmhands!

[Jim Garrett]

An interesting note......A couple of years ago, Rich Smyth and I had lunch with my cousin, esteemed author and historian Robert H. Patton. He told us that many of the American slave ships were owned by Quakers. They leased the ships to the captains who were the ones that controlled the cargo, but the Quakers knew what their ships were used for. Interesting how people will find a way to side step their religious convictions in the name of profit.

[Wild Bill]

A book for you all: Anne Farrow, Joel Lang, Jennifer Frank, Complicity: How the North promoted, Prolonged, and Profited from Slavery (New York: Ballentine, 2006).

This is where present day cases suing insurance companies (like Aetna) and universities (like Brown) for slavery reparations are coming from.

[HerbS]

Thanks for the info on the Quakers Jim.It is all about $$$ isn't it?The Malayasin Airlines is owned by the Prime-Minister of Malayasia and he is a friend of Putin!Go figure.

[Jim Garrett]

You can ignore a lot of evils for the right price. I looked at the Turner painting. I think an inaccuracy may be, I can't imagine a slave ship captain throwing overboard handcuffs and leg irons.

[HerbS]

Great insght Jim!

[Gene C]

Your right Jim, too many peopole do that. And that reminded me of this passage from Matthew 6:19 - 21

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

The older I get, the more I see how true it is.

[HerbS]

Gene-I agree with you 100%-Herb