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This is a classic example of the continual mistake we make in taking some subject from history and judging it again in today's context. But we are here now with an even bigger mistake of suggesting this is Obama's fault.
This "School's nation of Islam" is not that far off the mark but they are making the mistake I am talking about with context in the historical period in question. We define racism today as institutionalized prejudice, we also see it defined as a belief that inherent differences among the various human races determine sociological or academic or even individual achievement. No matter which you subscribe to it boils down to the idea that one's own race is superior to another, and by effect generally means the ability at a minimum to discriminate against others and at a more extreme rule over others (our nation has done both, and struggled with one all the way up into the 1960s.)
One problem for this thread here and the OP is is George Washington and Thomas Jefferson as our Founding Fathers were racist in today's context. Jefferson owned slaves, straight up. To do so means at least engaging in the idea that one can be inferior and owned by another human being. In that context, even for the period in question, then Jefferson could not have believed that "all men were created equal." In the same Context, so did George Washington. Despite all his successes and leading America to freedom he did own slaves. Now, with Washington we know the idea of slavery became a big problem for him but at the same time during the birth of a nation there was great support for the idea of owning another human being. Strike that, often times those owned were not considered anything but property. Forget the human being part. Right at our nation's beginnings we had Washington starting to realize the problem but not being able to do much about it for political reasons. On top of slavery, we should not forget how our "Founding Fathers" handled prior residents to these lands.
Another problem for this thread and the OP is neither Theodore Roosevelt or Abraham Lincoln were founding fathers. At least not in the context of being present for the making of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. They both may have had their own flavor of prejudices to deal with but not in the same context as our "Founding Fathers."
Our more entertaining question is what kind of person was both Washington and Jefferson in their period of context, not ours today. And it looks like Washington started to struggle with racism (in historical context) in a way that Jefferson did not. Does that mean that Washington was a good guy and Jefferson was a bad guy? Well, in today's context the answer is absolutely no and yes. Technically they both owned slaves and in today's context both were bad guys. However, in historical context all of that is up for debate. Sure, Jefferson did father children with his slaves and ensured some of those children became educated and eventually free. But that does not necessarily erase the notion of saying "all men are created equal" then turning around and owning one, for either Washington or Jefferson. Ultimately just to make a deal with all states it turns out not all men are created equal, and not all had Constitutional rights applied to them.
We may take on these useless exercises to determine things like this but we are wasting time with our incessant need to bring from history into today's PC world was was and was not acceptable. We will continually cause problems doing so and ensure continued fuel for today's racism foolishness. At the same time we end up with this asinine OP suggesting Obama's administration is to blame.
This is the **** that ensures racism will not end anytime soon. But it also shows us why history tends to get edited into sunshine and roses views of people of importance to our history. Turns out they may not have been the high moral ground individuals we paint them as in today's context.
This "School's nation of Islam" is not that far off the mark but they are making the mistake I am talking about with context in the historical period in question. We define racism today as institutionalized prejudice, we also see it defined as a belief that inherent differences among the various human races determine sociological or academic or even individual achievement. No matter which you subscribe to it boils down to the idea that one's own race is superior to another, and by effect generally means the ability at a minimum to discriminate against others and at a more extreme rule over others (our nation has done both, and struggled with one all the way up into the 1960s.)
One problem for this thread here and the OP is is George Washington and Thomas Jefferson as our Founding Fathers were racist in today's context. Jefferson owned slaves, straight up. To do so means at least engaging in the idea that one can be inferior and owned by another human being. In that context, even for the period in question, then Jefferson could not have believed that "all men were created equal." In the same Context, so did George Washington. Despite all his successes and leading America to freedom he did own slaves. Now, with Washington we know the idea of slavery became a big problem for him but at the same time during the birth of a nation there was great support for the idea of owning another human being. Strike that, often times those owned were not considered anything but property. Forget the human being part. Right at our nation's beginnings we had Washington starting to realize the problem but not being able to do much about it for political reasons. On top of slavery, we should not forget how our "Founding Fathers" handled prior residents to these lands.
Another problem for this thread and the OP is neither Theodore Roosevelt or Abraham Lincoln were founding fathers. At least not in the context of being present for the making of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. They both may have had their own flavor of prejudices to deal with but not in the same context as our "Founding Fathers."
Our more entertaining question is what kind of person was both Washington and Jefferson in their period of context, not ours today. And it looks like Washington started to struggle with racism (in historical context) in a way that Jefferson did not. Does that mean that Washington was a good guy and Jefferson was a bad guy? Well, in today's context the answer is absolutely no and yes. Technically they both owned slaves and in today's context both were bad guys. However, in historical context all of that is up for debate. Sure, Jefferson did father children with his slaves and ensured some of those children became educated and eventually free. But that does not necessarily erase the notion of saying "all men are created equal" then turning around and owning one, for either Washington or Jefferson. Ultimately just to make a deal with all states it turns out not all men are created equal, and not all had Constitutional rights applied to them.
We may take on these useless exercises to determine things like this but we are wasting time with our incessant need to bring from history into today's PC world was was and was not acceptable. We will continually cause problems doing so and ensure continued fuel for today's racism foolishness. At the same time we end up with this asinine OP suggesting Obama's administration is to blame.
This is the **** that ensures racism will not end anytime soon. But it also shows us why history tends to get edited into sunshine and roses views of people of importance to our history. Turns out they may not have been the high moral ground individuals we paint them as in today's context.
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