There should be a monument honoring (black) slaves

[noiretextatique]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x3650062

:wow: *some* "liberals" are at it again :argh:

[Tigress DEM]

1. OK, so talk to me.

I understand that to HONOR slaves in this manner is more like putting your mother on display in her grungy underwear than being truly respectful to the suffering that went on back then... but help me the rest of the way.

MLK memorial is moving forward if I remember so that was a little off. But let me say that in the aspect of anyone who is reading about the horror of slavery from the perspective of one who is auto privileged in this society simply by skin color, it's hard not to want to do something that expresses the sorrow about what happened and to feel a lot of admiration for just how much integrity shines through especially when you think of how much was put up with for so long.

I especially think of people who went to church and probably prayed for the very people who made their lives hell, simply because it was the right thing to do.

But tell me how many ways this is all wrong, cause I just get this feeling I will never know unless I ask someone.

[noiretextatique]

4. my comment was more about

the pavlovian response of some in that thread who kept bringing up indenture servants, asian people, and indians, mostly to dismiss and deny the experience of african-americans. i forget who coined the phrase "competition of tears," but it seems to me that phenomenon is an accurate descroption of the dynamic: because soandso suffered too, the plight of african-americans is irrelevant, and not especially noteworthy. frankly, i see that as a racist attitude, little different from the rantings of freepers about MLK day or juneteenth.

as sweetheart pointed out in that thread, that mentality reinforces the notion of benign neglect, which has a negative impact on everyone and serves only the status quo. affrimative action, for example...the trend is not to fix it and expand it, but to dismantle it completely. who exactly does that serve? and more importantly, when will "our side" figure out that supporting the position of the rw on any issue means supporting them on every issue. i can't separate the invasion of iraq from the continued racism of the american government and many of its citizens.

i tend to agree with you and others...a monument to slaves, given the fact that americans have yet to acknowledge that racism persists as a problem today is beyond absurd, and i mean no offense to the OP who had great intentions.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

2. That is sort of a "hooray, thank goodness we're more enlightened now."

Which is completely untrue. How can we erect a monument commemorating the wrongs put on the african american community? We don't need to. We can see it everywhere around us in our daily lives. It's not over yet.

If this were done, it would just be a "there, no we're all settled up--let's have no more claiming injustice, huh?"

To me, it's as tasteless as erecting a statue to the innocent Iraqi's killed in the line of fire while the war in Iraq is still going on and those "honored" are still being murdered.

[FrenchieCat]

3. What you said....

"ditto"!

[ultraist]

5. I see it differently

Consider the works of John Biggers or other artists that depict the tears, strength, and experiences of African slaves and the early African American culture?

It's important that we not only acknowledge the strengths and the pain of African slaves but to "never forget" the horrific cruelty inflicted upon them. Perhaps a monument is not the most effective way to do this, I'd prefer to see reperations, but art in this way does serve a purpose and has the ability to send out a powerful message.

I was appalled by some of the posts on that thread. Specifically, those that posited the illogical argument that, "since the monument wouldn't also honor white indentured servants" it's racist and shouldn't be built. :eyes:

[SemiCharmedQuark]

7. As long as we have people waving the confederate flag

and as long as that flag flies on our state flag poles, it just doesn't seem right to me to build a monument. It's putting a bandaid over a wound that is still infected.

[Swamp Rat]

8. Yep n/t

[ultraist]

9. I can't disagree with that!

Building a monument would be a token gesture compared to other measures that should be taken.

[Brewman_Jax]

6. I don't know which was worse

that one of the usual suspects cited a white supremacist RW reactionary site, or that they didn't object to that, because it supported their "point of view." :puke:

If these are our "friends," we don't need any enemies. :eyes: