It's high time for African Americans to change their perspectives on slavery, asserts Arkansas Rep. Jon Hubbard. In his new book, Letters to the Editor: Confessions of a Frustrated Conservative, the Republican congressman argues that slavery was actually a positive turn of events for blacks.
"--The institution of slavery that the black race has long believed to be an abomination upon its people may actually have been a blessing in disguise," Hubbard argues. "The blacks who could endure those conditions and circumstances would someday be rewarded with citizenship in the greatest nation ever established upon the face of the Earth."
There's no doubt that Americans enjoy one of the highest standards of living in the world, not to mention a range of political liberties that individuals in other countries lack. But those factors don't mean that slavery was worth it. Slaves endured physical brutality, sexual violence, gruesome labor conditions, psychological battery and destruction of their family units, all of which have been depicted in films, literature and other materials about the institution. Slaves couldn't marry and saw their children auctioned off to strangers. What's worse, they could do nothing to stand up for their loved ones. The small things Americans take for granted today--reading or writing, coming and going as we please, eating well-balanced meals--were off limits to slaves. To boot, civil liberties such as owning property or voting were out of the question. That's because slaves were considered property, not people. Hubbard has conveniently forgotten this fact. I don't think slaves, especially those who'd been raped, tortured and ripped apart from their family members, would argue that such treatment was all a blessing in disguise because it meant that one day they could be a U.S. citizen and, thus, have a chance to own a house in the suburbs, 2.5 kids and a 401k plan. Has Hubbard lost his mind? Do people actually understand what happened during slavery, including that many blacks did kill themselves because they couldn't endure the horror of the peculiar institution? I can't imagine any politician arguing that the Holocaust was a blessing because it allowed some Jews to take refuge in the United States.
Americans as diverse as Bob Dylan and Condoleezza Rice have argued that slavery has left a permanent scar on the United States. Today, it still affects race relations for the worse. It was certainly no blessing.
Comments
What an incredable stupid remark for someone to make. His book doesn’t rate even considering based on remarks in the book like that.
Its like saying the Titanic sinking was actually a blessing in disguse, since look at the wonderful movie and story that was made 100 years later.
The man is a fool!
i cannot believe what a bigoted jerk this man is. he ought to be ousted for such comments. it makes me sick. just reading this.
I’ll bet he never saw any of the 47% in person
I’m not surprised that John Hubbard of the Republican Party feels as he does. These racists still for the most part represent the White Peoples Party aka Republican Party. After all his ancestors came out of caves, clubbed each other to death and many still practice barbarism today. We have prayed that their ideological beliefs would die off as they do. The biggest problem is they continue hatching their offsprings. He’s a living testatment that there are many functional illterates in congress who wear ties.
By saying that slavery, which “the black race has..viewed as an abomination” is Mr. Hubbard also revealing the assumption that his fellow whites and others do NOT view slavery as an abomination?
To even unconsciously call out the ‘black race’s’ stance here as deviating the norm leaves me wondering, how cold-hearted have we become to view slavery as anything but an abomination? How *do* we view it? A matter of indifference? Annoyance? Or fearful avoidance, as in ‘Let’s distance ourselves from anything that makes us feel we are anything less than heroes.’
This country still suffers the ills caused by slavery. Only someone so steeped in their own racism could even think such a thing. Racism is a disease that if left unchecked will be the demise of us.
I’ve heard a similar ignorant viewpoint expressed about Native Americans: “They were all starving before the white man came here.” What a crock. I’d like to see those who hold the “slavery and genocide were good for them” view be put into slavery themselves. For a long, long, time (a couple decades, at least). Then, free them and ask them how “good” it was for them.
Context and prospectiive is at play here. Was the Civil War a blessing or curse. Are there groups better because of the civil war. I do not wish to dishonor the sacrifice my ancestors made so that I could be what I am today. Again context and prospective can blow the mind.
What an idiot this inhumaneerson is! He must have been totally out of his little bitty mind to even think that slavery was nothing but an asrocity and permanent negative mark on America. How would he have responded if it were his ancestors? What a mindless, thoughtless, disrespectful comment! People treat their pets much better than slaved were treated! Racism is still alive and well in the America’s!
I can’t really add anything to what’s been said, but because working toward racial reconciliation in this country is my passion I just wanted to add my name to the list of those who are appalled by that guy!
I can’t really add anything to what’s been said but because racial reconciliation in this country is my passion I just wanted to add my name to those who are appalled by Rep. Hubbard’s remarks.
Ignorance is bliss. Yes it was a blessing, but for white people ONLY..
Listen!!!
It is absolutely absurd for any white politician, citizen or anyone else to think the barbaric conditions of kidnapped Africans who died in route to the United States , Cuba and other coastal islands that they were transported to where better off than freedom in Africa. I have traveled extensively as a honorably discharged military veteran and can tell you there are many countries that are great to live in that are not the United States. Luxembourg, Belgium, The Netherlands, Scandinavian countries are just a few examples. Also there are (despite popular opinion) many modern societies in Africa (outside of S. Africa) that provide a good standard of living for it’s Black Citizens! So please Anglo Saxons get a grip! P.S. Since I did serve honorably no I don’t have to go to those countries…..though I wouldn’t mind.
Piece!