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Slavery and the Consequences of Slavery  -  Dialogue between Conservatives
By Scott Rohter, June 22, 2012

Conservative A
Since I am not a Liberal, I don’t believe in the usual Democratic Party nonsense about reparations. That is just more of the same old “Great Society” gobbledygook that has led to the re-enslavement of millions of our fellow Americans over the last fifty years, and turned them into welfare recipients. But how can we move forward as a harmonious and psychologically healthy people when one side won’t even acknowledge the obvious pain caused to the other side by the simple act of enslaving their ancestors for over two hundred years? That systematic act has had a lasting effect upon the descendants of those African slaves, and far reaching consequences for America that still linger today! A decent respect for our fellow man requires that we at least try to understand some of their grievances.

Racists, as well as those reverse racists whom they inspire, are two sides of the same coin, the “consequential coin” of slavery. It is as plain as day to me. It is as plain as the nose on my face. They are both the consequences of the Crippling Legacy of Slavery. Both sides have been psychologically traumatized by the actions of each other, and by the action of enslaving millions of people, and they are both "overcompensating" for their real and personal injuries, and for their frequent misunderstandings.  Neither side has a normal or healthy outlook about the past, or the present, or the future... about where we have been, and about where we are going! Part of the reason that there are such groups like the Congressional Black Caucus is that there are still racists in the world. The fact that there are racists in the world, spawns other racist groups, or at least gives them the excuse to form,... exclusive groups based upon race like the Congressional Black Caucus, the Black Panther Party, The Nation of Islam and Movements like Black Liberation Theology! These are the public manifestations of a very serious underlying problem. We must first remove the underlying problem i.e. the excuse for this public manifestation before we can seriously talk about removing the manifestation itself!

Conservative B
I agree with you that compassion is perfectly acceptable, as long as it doesn’t start enabling people.  There is not much difference between enabling people and disabling people. I will not entertain the idea that we need to bow down to Black people because of the past injustices of slavery, nor do I feel even the slightest bit of guilt about something that I myself did not do, which wrongs were committed more than a hundred years ago before I was born. I refuse to punish myself for the historic wrongs of slavery.  Many people capitalize upon this guilt, and transform it into gratuitous government entitlements.  Personal character comes in all colors, no matter how poor someone is. I do not condone people who play the victim nor their victim mentality.  Of course, realizing that understanding comes to different people at different times in their lives, and at different rates can also prove helpful.

Opportunists like Al Sharpton and Jessie Jackson who profit from this sore subject are the reason that so many other people are simply sick and tired of hearing about it. Their almost criminal behavior and their double standard angers almost everybody I know. Do you remember what happened to the country after the Trayvon Martin shooting? That was just the tip of the racial iceberg, and I really do mean iceberg!  The corruption and the partisan politics that is being played by this White House has brought a lot of this division on. The Democrat’s game plan for 2012 is to continue to divide the nation and try to get elected again based upon minipulating these racial divisions, as well as the same old issues of economic class warfare.  Many Blacks will not let Whites ever forget. They remind us about race every day!

Conservative A
There would be no reason nor any excuse to remind us about anything if we would only try to understand the consequences of slavery. That having been done, we could bury this divisive issue once and for all and put it behind us. However that will never happen as long as Blacks sense even the slightest bit of insincerity on our part. Understanding racism is not something that you can fake. Our fellow Americans are not that stupid that they can’t see right through any insincerity!

Conservative B
The current Administration has exacerbated what remains of the hate which is one of the unfortunate lasting effects of slavery.  There will always be some people who are racists.  Nothing but God can change that! As sad as it is, Jackson and Sharpton make their living from manipulating this hate. But it would be just as despicable if they were doing the same thing and they just happened to be White.

I understand what you are saying Scott.  But it still seems to me that a majority of White people are being blamed today for what only a handful of their ancestors did two hundred years ago?  When do Black people begin to take some responsibility for these lasting consequences of slavery?  In a marriage, BOTH parties are responsible for their mutual misunderstandings, the values they hold, their spiritual lives, and their joint finances.  Compromise?  Well, attempting to understand where the other side is coming from, and at least keeping an open mind would be helpful.  For the greater good of everyone concerned, we need to recognize both sides of this issue and stop blaming each other!


"The truth, the political truth, and nothing but the political truth.
A journalist has no better friend than the truth."
- Scott Rohter

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