Monday, November 30, 2009

Modern American Slavery



When I was in elementary school learning about history not just in this country but all human history I was consistently struck dumbfounded by the idea of one person keeping other people in bondage. Something inside my head could not understand how it could be justified in any way that people could be viewed as property with every aspect of their lives being controlled by another person or group.

Many might be surprised how openly the discussion of all aspects of slavery were brought out down here in the South. While the most gruesome and explicit details about slavery didn't come until high school none the less as a young child my classmates and I understood that families were torn apart and bought and sold like farm equipment. Physical and sexual abuse could come at any moment with it later being laughed about by otherwise "pillars of the community." Even as something basic as learning to read could be a death sentence for both the person wanting to learn and the teacher. While slavery was a nightmare on all levels when you boiled it down what most got me was the simple idea that a slave had absolutely no control over what was done to them and had no recourse to correct it. That total inability to have even the most basic control over ones own fate still makes my skin crawl.

In my youth I could at least take some comfort with the belief that the institution of slavery was something had been confined to the past. Years later I would come to believe that while it had been abolished here in America that in other, less developed and enlighten parts of the world some form of it still survived. Much to my sadness my next revelation would have me find out that in far away and forgotten corners of America isolated pockets of what amounted to slavery was being practiced. Still I hoped and believed that these were exceptions to the rule and that shining the light of day on these hideous affairs would stamp them out. Now even that is gone with word that while the institution might be relegated to the past like some contagious virus the scourge of slavery has not only appeared again but is growing.





5 comments:

Oso said...

Teabaggers and Lou Dobbs would likely say the answer is to deport the slaves.Not trying to be humorous,I don't think they are the types to be sympathetic to those of different color.

Jack Jodell said...

Great job, Beach Bum.
I saw this report on CNN today and could hardly believe my eyes. Our obsession with money and profit unfortunately leads a small number of our citizens to engage in such an outrage, and is a clear indicator of how misplaced some of our values are.

Laura said...

I saw this report being advertised but didn't have a chance to watch it.

I heard something on Canadian news recently. Apparently a lot of women (children) are being brought into B.C. for the olympics. I guess they are to be the entertainment for some. :(
Sad times we live in .. .STILL.

((Hugs))
Laura

Randal Graves said...

Are you saying that we're NOT The Greatest Nation On Earth Don't Question® ?

Commander Zaius said...

Oso: I agree and its doesn't say much about the current mental state of our society.

Jack: Your comment squarely hits the nail on the head. It is this profit above all else mentality that allows the scum to think of even doing this and the other practices that are only slightly less depraved.

Sunshine: It is a contagion that is as old as humanity itself.

Randal: We are overblown legends in our own minds.