When You Think About It: The Roots of Racism

F LoBuono

OK, since the President has brought it up, let's talk about the history of racism in this Country. And, make no mistake about it. Racism and bigotry have been with us so long that it may be in our very DNA.

Right from the very formation of this Nation they have been part of the conversation and our collective consciousness.

Let's use Thomas Jefferson as an example. Virtually every American knows him as the primary author of The Declaration of Independence - the revolutionary document that we hold so dear. What is not so readily known is that he actually wrote ANOTHER draft of the Declaration. It contained this passage condemning slavery* (addressing the English King): 

He has waged cruel war against human nature itself, violating its most sacred rights of life and liberty in the persons of a distant people who never offended him, captivating & carrying them into slavery in another hemisphere or to incur miserable death in their transportation thither.  This piratical warfare, the opprobrium of infidel powers, is the warfare of the Christian King of Great Britain.  Determined to keep open a market where Men should be bought & sold, he has prostituted his negative for suppressing every legislative attempt to prohibit or restrain this execrable commerce.  And that this assemblage of horrors might want no fact of distinguished die, he is now exciting those very people to rise in arms among us, and to purchase that liberty of which he has deprived them, by murdering the people on whom he has obtruded them: thus paying off former crimes committed again the Liberties of one people, with crimes which he urges them to commit against the lives of another.

However, this paragraph was struck from the final, ratified version. Therefore, it is virtually unknown.

But, WHY?

Decades later, Jefferson blamed the delegates from Georgia, South Carolina, and those who represented Northern business interests, for its removal. In other words, they NEEDED slavery to fill their pockets. They sold their souls for a buck! And, racism won out. That's right. We COULD have taken the steps to eliminate slavery and curb racism from the very inception of America. 

19th Century Slave Auction

But, we didn't.

So, we struggle with its ugly ramifications to this very day.

So, please spare me the bullshit when this President says "Make America Great Again" while, at the same time, spewing the hateful rhetoric that KEEPS us from being truly great. . . 

I'm mad as hell and not going to take it anymore!!

*https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/declaration-independence-and-debate-over-slavery/