America's wilfully forgotten history

Slave Cabin


Americans of the political/chattering class ( I am one) love to talk about the Constitutional Convention, or the Federalist Papers, or the Civil War, or "Reconstruction"  as if  these events happened yesterday.

But when it comes to the issues of slavery, and Lincoln's "Emancipation Declaration" they are apt to say "but that was a long time ago, we need to get over it".

 In so saying they/we willfully choose to overlook the evil of slavery,and its' pernicious effects (reaching even to 2016), 

 They/we are also apt to say something like this "African Americans  should stop whining about slavery", ---  even as we Caucasian Americans whine about and discuss those parts of our history which made slavery possible (and even desirable).

I call it "selective amnesia". 

  It could also be called "toxic amnesia", for unless and until the ruling classes in the USA acknowledge the intrinsic evil of slavery  we haven't a ghost of a chance of becoming "One Nation under God, with liberty and justice for all".

 ==============================================================

BUT  "The times they are a changin'"  in  Louisiana, of all places

See this: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/inside-americas-auschwitz-180958647/?no-ist

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