Town Hall Reflection

 After listening to both of the pro-slavery and anti-slavery perspective presentations, I learned new things about the pro-slavery perspective and some of the benefits that slavery poses that the speakers told us about. One thing that was common among some of the different speakers was that there are economic benefits of slavery.

As George Washington said they were very helpful when it came to farming as they helped provide this economy for the owners and also food for their families. This new perspective gave me a new thought about how slavery benefited both the slaves but also the owners.

Another point that was brought up from the pro-slavery view from the perspective of George Fitzhugh was that poor White people have more in common with African-American’s since they share some of the same characteristics and traits and also both of the groups of people rely on farming as their big economic benefit.

His perspective also argued that the slaves that he has seen are both well-nourished, comfortably dressed, and are provided both food and water. These slaves are also well treated by some of the owners and their respective families and these slaves also have experienced content in where they are located and also how they have schedules and some of these slaves are also happy with the work they do in farming. 

As George Fitzhugh also said slaves have no worries about the future and they also don’t have to worry about scarcity or what is next for them and they also are good for the agricultural industry and for owners in that they have no formal education so they have to work in farming it is their only industry that they can work in. 

In conclusion, slavery also can benefit both the slaves and the owners that pay them. Without slavery the economy would struggle and harm would be done to the slaves and owners and slavery definitely has two sides with both pros and cons.

Image source:

https://www.history.com/news/slavery-profitable-southern-economy

The Frederick Douglas Game

 Hello, my name is Rev. Henry Highland Garnet, I was born into slavery on December 23 1815 in the state of Maryland. I am an abolitionist and believe that slavery is an abomination and should be forbidden.

As a man who was born into slavery, I can personally say that there are lots of hardships to those affected by slavery. The abuse and the torture that they go through is inhumane and cruel treatment.

At the age of 9, me and my family got lucky and we were able to escape from Maryland when we had to head to a family funeral in another part of the state and we headed to New York City and escaped our owner. I was able to continue my studies in New York City for a long time however, unfortunately years into my studies my family was being searched for by our slave owners and while my parents weren’t captured and taken back to the plantation, my sister was captured. I spent lots of time walking around New York City looking for her. After this I went back to my studies in New York City and began working on my revolution.

I am here to convince you all that slavery is a wrongful and shameful practice and why it should be abolished. The practice of slavery because of its inhumane concept and practice. This practice is torture and this practice has no moral positive impact on the slaves or the good of mankind. Slavery has created divides social divides between different communications and communities.

During my time in New York City in education I started a ‘call to rebellion’ movement. During this movement I delivered an amazing speech in August of 1843 where slaves should turn against their masters. I gave this speech at the National Negro Convention in Rochester, New York and while this speech was not well received by some of my other fellow abolitionists, I believe that we should not put up with slavery and the abuse that owners put us all through. While in New York City I also sheltered fugitive slaves at the Liberty Street Church.

Another reason slavery is so terrible is the emotional and physical abuse that slaves endure makes everything harder for slaves. This abuse is something that leads to health problems and ailments for slaves that have long term consequences which can include physical and mental health problems. The poor working conditions that they have to work under also causes problems for the slaves and their health.

I also believe that slaves who are captured up north who escaped should not be taken back by their owners as prisoners. I have witnessed some of these hardships first hand as I have seen lots of people who were affected by slavery including my own family.

 In 1850, I went and traveled to England to speak out against slavery and I also went to England to help African-Americans immigrate to other lands in Africa such as Liberia. When the Civil War started I went to help recruit black soldiers to fight for the Union side of the war. It was during this time I was nearly attacked in the New York Draft riots in 1863 and while I was not hurt I could have been due to my activism.

I also was the first African-American to deliver a sermon to the United States Congress in 1865. During this sermon I urged Congress to adopt the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. During the speech I stated that: “If slavery has been destroyed merely from necessity, let every class be enfranchised at the dictation of justice. Then we shall have a Constitution that shall be reverenced by all, rulers who shall be honored and revered, and a Union that shall be sincerely loved by a brave and patriotic people, and which can never be severed.”

After the Civil War ended I continued to act as an abolitionist and helped to end slavery in other parts of the world such as Brazil and Cuba. In 1881, President James A. Garfield appointed me to be the Ambassador to Liberia and Minister to Liberia and I lived my lifelong dream of living in Africa. In conclusion, my views on slavery is that it should be abolished and I stand by the work I have done to help get rid of slavery once and for all. 

Work Cited:

https://time.com/5124917/black-history-month-henry-highland-garnet/

https://www.biography.com/activists/henry-highland-garnet

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Henry-Highland-Garnet

Bible Slavery Post

Yes, the Bible Does Support Slavery (Brad and Elliott)

The Bible has been known to have multiple views along with other religions on it’s role and influence with the practice of the Slave Trades and slavery. It’s been debated about the position of slavery in the Bible and in other religions with Christianity. In this blog post you will see two sides of this view. 

The Bible views slavery as normalized. Numerous times The Bible mentions slavery casually without ever prefacing it with words of disapproval. From this, it can be surmised that slavery is acceptable and tolerable. The Bible does view certain parts of slavery as sinful, but slavery, as it was practiced in the United States in the times of the late eighteenth century to the early nineteenth century, is acceptable.

Leviticus 25:44-46 makes many statements that align with how slavery was practiced at this time. It can concluded that the slave trade is allowed from the line “Your male and female slaves are to come from the nations around you.” Slave breeding and auctioning are also allowed from the line “You may also buy some of the temporary residents living among you and members of their clans born in your country, and they will become your property.” This line also specifically appointed slaves to be viewed as property. The Bible also specifically states that slaves may be inherited from the next line: “You can give them to your children as inherited property and can make them slaves for life.” Therefore the slave trade as a whole as it was practiced in the United States, is permitted by The Bible.

The Bible’s words also align with how slave owners treated their slaves. From Exodus 21:20-21: “When a man strikes his male or female slave with a rod, and the slave dies under his abuse, the owner must be punished. However, if the slave can stand up after a day or two, the owner should not be punished because he is his owner’s property.” This clearly states that corporal punishment against slaves is acceptable, as long as the slave is not killed from the punishment. It also acknowledges that slaves are property to their owners. Furthermore, this excerpt and the surrounding context say nothing about the reason for which a slave shall be punished, meaning that it can be reasoned that slaves can be punished at any time for any reason as long as the punishment does not result in the death of the slave.     Modern assessments of Christianity often view slavery as a sin. The Catechism of the Catholic Church 2414, an over 900-word articulation of the modern catholic christian viewpoint, states that enslavement is a sin under the seventh commandment. The seventh commandment, “thou shall not commit adultery”, is completely unrelated to the issue of slavery, however. Adultery strictly means a relation between a married person and someone other than their spouse, this has nothing to do with slavery. Even if modern Christian organizations wish it wasn’t true, the bible, and consequently the word of god, allows slavery as it was practiced in the United States. Most of the bible’s pro-slavery sentiment comes from the Old Testament, which is the basis of the bible and is a mandatory part of any translation or accepted version of the bible. Even the New Testament features ideas in support of slavery.

No, The Bible Does Not Support Slavery (Kasen and Jonathan)

The Bible uses the word slavery and servants in biblical times the word slave was seen as servants. In the bible, a common way to pay off debts was to do work under the person you owe debts to as a servant. The Bible has considered slavery a sin in some of its testaments and religions; it's a sin to participate in slave trades and slave ownership. Most religions also were against slavery and believed it had been a sin.

 In the Catholic Bible and religion, the bible says about the seventh commandment for as stated: “The seventh commandment forbids acts or enterprises that for any reason - selfish or ideological, commercial, or totalitarian - lead to the enslavement of human beings, to their being bought, sold and exchanged like merchandise, in disregard for their personal dignity.” This quote represents that slavery is sin and is considered selfish. This quote also represents the fact that this commandment forbids slavery and all acts that lead to it. The Catholics stated earlier that this is a sin.

 In the New Testament of the Christian Bible, there are some references to anti-slavery movements and anti-slavery positions in the verse Timothy 1:10 the New Testament comments on other issues as well but keeps its main focus in this section on anti-slavery “the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine”. This verse says that slavery is also immoral and explains that those who practice it are not uncorrupted.

 It is definitely true that religions such as Christianity and Baptists especially condoned slavery at one point in history as did the different branches such as Baptism. The Southern Baptist Convention originally admitted to slavery endorsement and admitted they were wrong about their positions on Slavery. They admitted to making mistakes in their beliefs in this quote and statement: “Be it further RESOLVED, That we lament and repudiate historic acts of evil such as slavery from which we continue to reap a bitter harvest, and we recognize that the racism which yet plagues our culture today is inextricably tied to the past.” The Southern Baptist Convention is based on beliefs originally stated in the beliefs of the Bible and the Christian religion.

  

In conclusion, the opinions on slavery have changed over time and the views have altered in recent years. Different religions all over the world have different opinions on slavery and we are at a point where most religions and cultures accept the fact that slavery has not always been the same.

Image Resources:

https://www.britannica.com/topic/slavery-sociology 

https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/slavery 

https://www.ucg.org/bible-study-tools/booklets/the-ten-commandments/the-ten-commandments-in-the-new-testament

Supreme Court Post

As we all know the United States of America Supreme Court is the highest court in the United States and the most powerful judicial body in the world. After watching “Comm3390 Supreme Court, Pt. 1 and Pt. 2,” I learned some things I had previously not known about the Supreme Court with one of them being that I did not know that the Supreme Court receives more than 100 cases a week which can add up to 7,000 cases a year.

I also was not aware of the demand of cases that they receive each week. This new thing I learned about the Supreme Court is one of the more surprising things I learned in the video as I wasn't aware of the amount of cases they see and the demand each week when cases come weekly. 

Another thing I learned that I was not previously aware of is the help that the Supreme Court Justices receive with also taking on cases and sorting with law clerks, and that they also rely on other justices to help work on cases. I was also not aware that they work together not just on voting but on selections and I have to say I find it comforting that there is unity in the court system in that all of the justices work extremely hard to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States of America. I found that very uniting in a way. 

The video changed the way I think about the Supreme Court in that of the decisions that they have to make and how hard they have to work to protect law in America. This video also changed the way I viewed the court in the way of the process that it takes to get cases approved for trial and hearings. I did not realize how long the process was for the Supreme Court. 

After learning all of these facts I really have learned more about the Supreme Court and what process they go through in determining what shall be taken up by the highest court and also how decisions are made in determining the final result. I truly learned more about America’s court system and the moving pieces behind it.