Opus 2013-251: The Dream Is in Bad Shape

Before the 13th Amendment, slavery was legal.  Because of the Dred Scott Decision, slaves had no rights.  If you are weak in history, this was a Supreme Court decision which responded to a slave going to court to attain his freedom.  His owner had spent time in a part of the country that had been declared slavery free in 1787.  When his owner died he claimed that residency made him a free man.  What surprised me was the local Missouri court sided with the slave.  On appeal the Supreme Court reversed the decision and said he was still a slave.  That was a disappointment but what laid the groundwork for the Civil War was the declaration that slaves had no rights and thus could not sue in court. 

One rationale that the slave owners had was that the slaves were an inferior race and needed the white masters to care for them.  They had security but no liberty.  It was the original Nanny State.

In the 1930's American blacks had liberty but no security.  In theory they were citizens but groups like the Klu Klux Klan made it very dangerous for them to be noticed.  Lynching was common and segregation was the standard. 

For a brief time it looked like the civil rights movement would bring real change.  Equal rights were being demanded and people of good will of all colors could see the logic and justice of that.  Then things like Affirmative Action became the game plan.  It seemed to be decided that the only cure for historic racial discrimination was more racial discrimination going the other way.  Black racism replaced white racism.  This of course could only be achieved by government subsidies and coercion.  So money was passed out and quotas were granted.

We have now gone full circle.  Blacks used to be persecuted and live in danger.  Now “African Americans” are living on the dole and special privilege.  They are still on the plantation, only now the Massa is a Democrat politician handing out welfare checks and patronage.  They must toe the line.  What else would explain the mindless voting and public opinion that runs at the 95% level.  Because they refuse to think for themselves or stand on their own feet “African Americans” now have no liberty but a form of security. 

This is progress?  This is freedom?  This makes a mockery of the words,

"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character."

Going backwards won’t get us where we want to go.

homo unius libri