"Bro this is literally slavery π" - Slaveowning Founding Fathers
Early Modern Period (~1600 AD)
(media.piefed.social)
History is full of great triumphs alongside great atrocities. From a 21st century viewpoint, their hypocrisy is both terrible and obvious. Does that downplay or nullify the major achievements that were started and then built on, even while they were hypocrites?
Can't wait to hear how our society is judged in a few centuries. I mean we could probably do some of that now, and even begin to improve if we wanted.
I'm never sure of what the goal is in this topic. If it's educational and a reminder that we should always question our actions and morality, that's fine. But it's often phrased in a way to try and discredit the Founders, which seems dishonest.
There's a scene in the series John Adams where Franklin and Adams are reading over Jefferson's draft of the DoI, and the topic of emancipation is brought up. Franklin suggests that while it's an important topic to be raised eventually, trying to wrap it in with seeking independence from Britain would defeat the purpose of creating the needed solidarity among the colonies (as some were far more dependent and pro-slavery). I'm sure it's dramatized, but might be based on some writings of theirs.
We ought to discuss how often the ball of freedom for every person was dropped over time, from that period to the Civil War/Reconstruction to Jim Crow and even still now. We've never gotten past it fully as a nation, and seem to be regressing (again). A mention again on how we're going to be looked at by our descendants for what we're doing right now, it's not a great image in a lot of ways.