We Can Not Apply 21st Century Values To 18th Century Realities!!

In light of February being Black History Month; let me preface what I am going to write so that there is no misunderstanding as to my position. Slavery is the most despicable condition one human being can impart upon another. It is an institution that had existed thousands of years before the establishment of the United States and in the 18th century found itself to be in its final throes of existence as a wide spread disease.

The holding of one human being, by another, is an act that God will judge at the proper time and I believe His judgement will be devastating to the perpetrators.

Having said that; I want to address how we apply our 21st century politically correct values to the realities of the 18th century that our Founding Father found themselves living.

It is a fact that many of our Founding Fathers, especially those who lived in one of the Southern States, owned slaves. It is also true that some, Thomas Jefferson for example, had families with slaves under their ownership. These are indisputable facts written into our history and little mentioned by historians until we reached 'The Age Of Political Correctness'.

Lets look at this in the light of the 18th century rather than the high beams of our politically correct 21st century sport utility vehicles.

Slavery, in the 18th century, was a reality that many questioned but few had any desire to dismantle. The contradictions between a 'colonial fight for freedom and the condition of slavery' was not as clear than as it is now. The lines between the two would have been quite blurry.

The business of Revolution, the establishment of a new form of government and the survival of the colonial armies in the field were far more pressing matters than the abolishment of slavery. It is my opinion that our Founding Fathers would never have been able to mold together a country if the elimination slavery was on the table. As harsh as that seems it is fact that we need to come to grips.

Some things had to be shelved in order to get The United States off the ground. The abolishment of slavery, women's rights and most other social conditions were over shadowed by laying the ground work for this country.

Some 80 years later we paid a heavy price for shelving slavery as a topic for discussion. But I firmly believe that the polarization that a discussion of the abolishment of slavery would have thrown upon the 'Constitutional Congress' may well have caused the losing of this country to arguments that could not have reached a satisfactory conclusion in 1776.

Now, some 200 plus years later and in the light of 'political correctness' we find many people trashing the Founding Fathers for their positions on and participation in the institution of slavery. Some argue that 'revisionist history' is harmful. I do not believe that historical truth is harmful nor undesirable. Truth is truth and is always better told than fallacies or fantasies.

On the other hand; truth without placing that truth in the context of the age in which it applies, is a misrepresentation of historical fact. If the Constitution Congress was being held today slavery could be discussed and abolished within the framework of the constitution. We have seen the errors of our ways and made our corrections.

In the late 18th century; slavery was a fact of life that was not going to enter into the discussion. It was a disease that many saw as divisive and necessary at the same time. It was a stain on our national character.

In any discussion of the Founding Fathers it is necessary to eschew their culpability in the history of slavery in The United States. But please do not diminish their work by making it the only issue.

Human beings suffered through 80 some more years of slavery post establishment if this country. The alternative, not having this country established, would have had profound consequences on world history far more devastating than those 80 years imparted.

Those Black Americans who were the recipients of the disease of slavery during those years leading up to the civil war are every bit a patriot as those that took up arms in our revolution.  Their suffering can never be apologized for as they have long departed us. Although our behavior toward one another can serve as a testament to their sacrifices.

While revising history to reflect the short comings of our Founding Fathers lets not lose sight of their accomplishments.

While revising history lets remember the sacrifice of our Black Americans that suffered those 80 years while we came to our senses as a nation.

Randy