[offtopic]
BuildingStudios"...And just one more point... some one take a stab at where one of the first large scale movements to end slavery started??? any one??? The United States of America in around the mid 1800's..."
So what?
Changing laws & changing hearts are two entirely different things. Based on the words & works of Abraham Lincoln, he was in a position to do both within himself & within the creation of our framework (of what shouldn't need to be) law, and he did. If nothing more he seemed to always stress the eventual end of slavery. 'Course he owned a few slaves, too. But who (or who collectively) started "the movement?" Surely, since the very second the "new-natives" touched down on this soil opposition has existed. As far as the scale, nothing could be larger than a whole race of indiginous people, and later, every single person of African decent in this country.
There were a few other pretty big "movements" throughout history, to be sure, but arguably only 1 nation that built itself almost soley on the back of destruction, genocide of 2 races and 1 self-servingly "created" class of people (controlled through means of brutality, oppression, utter & complete
dehumanization, and thusly slave (animal) labor exclusively - and that would be our U.S.A. So that place that you say we hold in the annals of history is a great step, but doesn't at all change the history before, or after, "the movement" began. How many years in our country's history before 1863? How many years before that where we as a people embraced that mentality whenever it served us? Centuries, I'd argue.
OutlawsIts nice how history usually passes over the fact that the people back then who brought the slaves over here actually bought them over in Africa. Bought. Say that with me. Bought...
OK.
bought bought bought bought bought...
No history book I read "passed over" the "fact" you refer to, not even the bullshit books from junior high & high school. Mostly touched on in World History classes though, or African-American Studies or some shit. Internal slavery amongst African brethren, though a contributory factor to the
support ofwhat happened in the U.S. (not the lack of morality behind it), pales in comparison to what the British (primarily) set out to do
with regard to our common American history.
Outlaws"...The Africans enslaved people from other African tribes. Now why is the white man supposed to be sensitive to this issue again?
Because you, like so many other people, try to use that history to
minimize the situation created not so very long ago in America. Or to say, "Yeah, it was really fucked up, but it's not like that now."
What if, as a result, the brutalization and legacy effects of such acceptable MORALITIES still exists as the smallest yet greatest component in the very backbone of our existence as a nation?
That's a crime against humanty if there ever was one (and there are plenty more). Is it then something to be not so sensitive to?
Outlaws"...Oh by the way. No one ever tried to whip the black man off the face of the earth. "
Instead, those that we credit for "founding"
our country did so with the lack of a moral structure regarding something far more important than their goal. They did so disreagrding human rights and human life. The complete antithesis of what they proclaimed is how they LIVED.
3/4 of a person, remember? And "suddenly," i'm lessor than you; i'm considered the same as the shirt you wear, cigarettes you smoke, guitars you play, computers you own, and paper you write on. In fact, you can even get receipts for me & include me in your income tax as an asset. If I'm sick, I become a liability - like a piece of property or a business you own not turning a profit. You...write...me...off...
That's about as "off the face of the earth" as one can get unless his heart stops beating & he's buried.
No, i'm not saying that treatment was limited to Africans enslaved by "early america," but in relation to the thread and equally to the evolution of people &, in this case, our country, you should at least care enough about it to be
responsible for yourself about it. That ain't easy for any of us to do in all areas of our lives. There's a big historical, social, economical, and educational difference in people who look like you (presuming you're not of any minority group in this country), and people who don't. Markedly within the group of people whose recent ancestors were
slaves to the structure that
currently is what we all call The United States Of America? That we all, equally & rightfully, call home?
Don't feel bad for what happened 400 years ago, 30-35 years ago, or even 2 years ago. Feel
sensitiveabout what's happening right now.
[ontopic]
What bothers me most about Eminem's old tracks is that
even if he's a 30 year old who "changed his mind about black people," there are too many 30 year olds who haven't. Supposing that he "made an honest mistake" (however that could be qaulified), the issue I care about is the fact that what he said can even be argued as "a mistake." As far as that guy goes personally, he'll do whatever he'll do & be whatever he'll be. Maybe he's just a product of his environment, like we all are.
The lick is to accentuate the positive & minimize or eradicate the negative - use it for the jump off. So maybe what he did was "a mistake," only he knows. The problem is for so many others, it's not & maybe it never will be. I got a problem with what he said, to be sure, but it appears at least that his actions have spoken way louder than those particular words. I can't summarily write him off because the whole struggle is about change (or growth or intrinsic understanding or whatever). All I care about is that. The fact that he said whatever he said only reminds me that humanity got a long-assed way to go.
diendolo
Now that is what is really disgusting. 
I guess in hind sight its best to leave that bit of history with a more magical spin....the Civil War was all about slavery.
