In today's Chicago Tribune, columnist Leonard Pitts writes that slavery did not end in America in 1865. He shares some of the methods of slavery that existed long after slavery was officially abolished. He references a new book called "Slavery by Another Name".
Here are just a few of the examples that he shares:
"...the system was so elaborate that businesses could put in orders with local sheriffs to arrest the number of men they needed."
"...in the antebellum years, a slave represented an investment of up to $2,000, but in this new economy, slave labor was cheap, which made slave life cheaper still."
"...white men were openly buying and selling black men under this system until after World War II."
It is easy to paint hard lines on history. It is easy to say, "that was a long time ago". As we do that, we often ignore what is really going on. We ignore the systems of slavery that still affect our society today. We turn our heads as slavery in its cruelest forms is still practiced around the world.
Do you believe that slavery still exists in America? How should a Christian respond to slavery?
Here are just a few of the examples that he shares:
"...the system was so elaborate that businesses could put in orders with local sheriffs to arrest the number of men they needed."
"...in the antebellum years, a slave represented an investment of up to $2,000, but in this new economy, slave labor was cheap, which made slave life cheaper still."
"...white men were openly buying and selling black men under this system until after World War II."
It is easy to paint hard lines on history. It is easy to say, "that was a long time ago". As we do that, we often ignore what is really going on. We ignore the systems of slavery that still affect our society today. We turn our heads as slavery in its cruelest forms is still practiced around the world.
Do you believe that slavery still exists in America? How should a Christian respond to slavery?
1 comment:
When people say that was a long time ago maybe they arent realizing there is still a generation that remembers that time. Older adults now remember when there were colored drinking fountains and white drinking fountains. They arent used to interracial relationships or non segregated communitites.
It helps me have hope for the future that as these generations leave this earth, hopefully some of the ignorance and intolerance will go with them.
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