Makes you go "hmmm"
I am currently reading a book about Sojourner Truth, the freed slave and abolitionist.
Considering the fight we are in here in my town against another grievous human rights violation, I found the parallels quite compelling. For instance:
After the Revolutionary War, and after the constitutional government had been established, the pro- and anti-slavery factions clashed. The debate was whether to nationally fight for abolition of slavery, or let each state decide. When anti-slavery activists pushed for the end of slavery to be included with in the Bill of Rights, a pro-slavery activist argued to let each state determine its politics regarding slavery. He also wrote that blacks were, "inherently inferior beings who would be harmed by freedom." This sound exactly like the pro-abortion crowd that says pre-born humans are inferior beings who would be harmed by being born unwanted.
The Quakers were avid abolitionists, and lived out their beliefs by protesting and praying for the end to slavery, as well as helping escaped slaves. The very same pro-slavery activist who called the black inferior, also denounced the Quakers as "spies, traitors, pacifists and hypocritical money grubbers." That sounds eerily similar to the names the anti-abortion activists are called ~ fanatics, terrorists, hypocrites, and selfish.
I found it exceptionally telling that the tactics used by pro-slavery people are the exact same ones used by pro-abortion advocates. I also found it very encouraging seeing that in the end, the anti-slavery advocates eventually came out the victors, and are looked upon as brave and forward thinking people to this day. It goes without saying that I am also gratified that such a human rights violation was overthrown, and justice achieved. We shall overcome!
Considering the fight we are in here in my town against another grievous human rights violation, I found the parallels quite compelling. For instance:
After the Revolutionary War, and after the constitutional government had been established, the pro- and anti-slavery factions clashed. The debate was whether to nationally fight for abolition of slavery, or let each state decide. When anti-slavery activists pushed for the end of slavery to be included with in the Bill of Rights, a pro-slavery activist argued to let each state determine its politics regarding slavery. He also wrote that blacks were, "inherently inferior beings who would be harmed by freedom." This sound exactly like the pro-abortion crowd that says pre-born humans are inferior beings who would be harmed by being born unwanted.
The Quakers were avid abolitionists, and lived out their beliefs by protesting and praying for the end to slavery, as well as helping escaped slaves. The very same pro-slavery activist who called the black inferior, also denounced the Quakers as "spies, traitors, pacifists and hypocritical money grubbers." That sounds eerily similar to the names the anti-abortion activists are called ~ fanatics, terrorists, hypocrites, and selfish.
I found it exceptionally telling that the tactics used by pro-slavery people are the exact same ones used by pro-abortion advocates. I also found it very encouraging seeing that in the end, the anti-slavery advocates eventually came out the victors, and are looked upon as brave and forward thinking people to this day. It goes without saying that I am also gratified that such a human rights violation was overthrown, and justice achieved. We shall overcome!
posted by Renee at Monday, October 08, 2007
3 Comments:
There are a couple of parallels that work in the other direction though. The abolitionists were fighting for what we're fighting against, that is nationwide law determining the nation's stance on the issue and forcing the hand of every state.
We are working to get rid of Roe Vs. Wade, which is essentially forces every state to have the same law on abortion. If states were allowed to choose, you better believe there would be a lot less abortion tomorrow morning.
Now, mind you, I am fully against the practice of slavery, but what we had with the rapid and forceful abolition of slavery by the Northern states was the same kind of rule by the intelligentsia that brought us Roe Vs. Wade. It read into the constitution a right and power that was not there and proceeded to impose their will on the ignorant rabble because they know what's best for everyone.
On the slavery issue they were right, but it is that kind of thinking and over-reaching of the powers given by the constitution to the Federal government that has lead us to a country where you can't drive down the street without a seatbelt on (to save your life, mind you!) but you can kill your unborn baby all the way up to term.
Also, in a small but amusing instance of irony, the Quakers were among the few signers of the People of Faith Who Support Planned Parenthood (or whatever it was called) in the Beacon a couple weeks ago. Sad how things change.
Sorry for the Rant!
Matt
Oh, I didn't miss the irony, except the abolition issue was going on at the framing of the Constitution, and had been overlooked for cultural and political reasons then. It's almost as if this issue was a tag behind from the original founding of the system of government.
And yes, it strikes me as very odd that the Quakers have strayed so very far from their original position, but that is probably another entire conversation.
The part I found interesting is how those denying rights to others in our culture use the same justification and then the same condemnation of the other people trying to protect the one's without the rights.
You now, matt, if the framers of the constitution had recognized the humanity of the slaves at the inception of our country, the confederate vs. federal issue might have been hashed out differently, and resulted in a different outcome. Maybe our punishment for denying the humanity of a segment of our population is to loose some of our original freedoms.
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