A Discussion of Slavery

I recently read an excellent article by Caroline Randall Williams, a published author from Nashville, Tennessee. The article, entitled You Want a Confederate Monument? My Body Is a Confederate Monument was originally published in the New York Times, June 26, 2020. Ms. Williams describes her heritage as one of mixed race, the result of white rape of black slaves. Although I’ve not examined her DNA reports, I’m quite sure she’s correct as rape of black slave women by white “masters” was certainly not unheard of, in fact was quite common. Perhaps not as common, but perhaps so, was the practice of consensual relationships between white “masters” and black slave women. Of course, as the recent Clinton sex scandal made clear, it’s difficult to describe a sexual relationship as consensual between two people of such unequal standing.

Ms. Williams separates her black and white ancestors into two camps, 1) the evil whites, and 2) the blacks who were the slaves. Ms. Williams appears to hate the whites and on the other hand, places the blacks on pedestals too high to reach.

Of course, slavery is an abomination. It was an abomination when Egypt enslaved Jews for hundreds of years. It was an abomination when the ancient Babylonians were held in bondage. It was an abomination when ancient Greece and Rome held slaves for everything from domestic work to organized gladiator spectacles. It was an abomination when the Inca tribes of Mexico and central and south America held slaves, sometimes for labor and other times to offer them up as sacrifices. It was an…