Jean visits African slave depot (and weeps)

[applegrove]

Jean visits African slave depot
Nov. 30, 2006. 05:30 AM
ALEXANDER PANETTA
CANADIAN PRESS


ELMINA, Ghana — "Michaëlle Jean wept softly for several minutes yesterday as she stared out from a seaside fortress that still reeks from the stench of slavery.

The passing of generations has not erased the fetid trace of bodily waste in the dark, dank dungeons of Elmina Castle where tens of thousands of people were stored like cattle.

Canada's Governor General triggered a chain reaction of tears from her entourage as she broke into sobs while touching the rusty iron gate of the so-called Door of No Return. For more than three centuries, the chains of African captives scraped the stone floor as they were shoved onto ships waiting below to carry them into slavery.

Jean said she prayed for millions of slaves, including her own ancestors, and for the untold millions who died during the journey. "My life will never be the same again," the Haitian-born descendant of slaves said.

..........SNIP"

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[Warpy]

1. The slave market in Charleston, S.C. gave me the willies

and was an important lesson when I saw it at the age of 10. I can still remember the names given each human being with description and the price s/he fetched at auction. "Docile" seemed to be one of the prime qualities to purchasers. People with scarred backs didn't fetch much since nobody wanted to take a chance on uppity property.

Of all the hideously bad ideas the human race has ever developed, I sincerely hope this one stays dead.

[applegrove]

2. Unfortunately for some girls, women and as Jean says little boys, slavery

still exists. We can only hope globalism puts and end to that in the next 100 years. Preferably sooner rather than later.

[Lisa]

3. I'm proud of our Head of State ...

It can't have been easy for her to go to such a terrible place -- especially when she knows how her own ancestors suffered.