• PugJesus@kbin.socialOP
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    9 months ago

    I believe slavery is an inexcusable, horrible stain on our nation’s fabric, but

    Oh boy

    it was the economic engine of the day down South. Not saying that doesn’t make it reprehensible, just giving context.

    “We built our entire society on a system that 6/7 Founding Fathers recognized as evil.”

    Maybe they shouldn’t have built their entire society around an institution that was widely recognized as evil at the time?

    Dismantling it at the speed Washington demanded would have ground things to a halt. That’s a big reason the South fought.

    Yes, the speed of [checks notes]

    … not dismantling it at all.

    Another issue was gun control.

    Fucking what.

    • ihavenopeopleskills@kbin.social
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      9 months ago

      The Bill of Rights included an abolitionist amendment, but they were not confident it would pass, hence its exclusion.

      Not defending it. Don’t shoot the messenger.

      • PugJesus@kbin.socialOP
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        9 months ago

        The Bill of Rights included an abolitionist amendment, but they were not confident it would pass, hence its exclusion.

        This the same Bill of Rights that was passed almost a hundred years before the Civil War?

        Not defending it.

        Pretty clearly making excuses for it.

        • ihavenopeopleskills@kbin.social
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          9 months ago
          1. Yes.

          2. Providing context doesn’t magically make something morally correct. It illustrates the circumstances.

          There are all kinds of circumstances under which people commit grave wrongs in the face of adversity. If we’re going to punish everyone for every wrong committed regardless of surrounding circumstances, there’s far more punishment to dispense, regardless of political stripes.

          • Metal Zealot@lemmy.ml
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            9 months ago

            You’re defending the circumstances of the time, unfortunately. You’re not even fully condemning it, or saying it shouldn’t have happened in the first place

          • PugJesus@kbin.socialOP
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            9 months ago

            Yes.

            So would you like to explain how a failed proposal to extinguish slavery almost a hundred years before the rebellion was a big reason why the South fought their slaver rebellion?

            Providing context doesn’t magically make something morally correct. It illustrates the circumstances.

            “But you have to understand the context!” brought up in response to a condemnation of the evil is a plea for sympathy. Don’t play coy.

            There are all kinds of circumstances under which people commit grave wrongs in the face of adversity. If we’re going to punish everyone for every wrong committed regardless of surrounding circumstances, there’s far more punishment to dispense, regardless of political stripes.

            Okay. I support only punishing people for serious wrongs committed. Like enforcing the bondage of one’s fellow man in one of the most cruel and vile systems of our nation’s history, treason, or murder of American citizens.