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Students divided after returning to schools with Confederate names restored (www.bbc.com)

submitted 3 months ago by sjmarf@sh.itjust.works to c/nottheonion@lemmy.world

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[–] Rhaedas@fedia.io 180 points 3 months ago (18 children)

"When I look at Robert E Lee, the comparisons to him and George Washington are immense," he said, noting Washington also owned slaves.

Not the same.

"I wonder when George Washington's name and things like that will then have to come off of things."

One helped found this country. Another fought this country.

"But to be taught that everyone who fought for the Confederacy, or did this, or did that, is a racist slave holder, that's all or nothing, and that really isn't doing history justice," he added.

We really need to teach better in history class. THAT is where we need to stop removing things, not statues and dedications to traitors of the country. He doesn't understand WHY the Confederacy started the war, does he? Maybe he should dive into the declarations from the various states on why they seceded. It's plainly mentioned in almost all of them.

[–] cedarmesa@lemmy.world 86 points 3 months ago (2 children)

Forcing them to argue that washington had slaves is a step in the right direction. It is a crack in their jingoistic myth of the founding fathers. Theyre being forced to learn a bit of history thats been intentionally hidden. Next question; If most the founding fathers owned slaves, whats that mean? Whats that say about america? So slavery was an institution and treated as the norm?

Its messy but this is progress

[–] FlashMobOfOne@lemmy.world 40 points 3 months ago (1 children)

And then you find out that not only was Saint George a slaver, but he did things like having teeth yanked out of his slaves' mouths to construct false teeth for his own.

He was genuinely not a good dude.

[–] Hawke@lemmy.world 19 points 3 months ago (2 children)

Hmm, it sounds like he actually bought them.

[–] TheLowestStone@lemmy.world 13 points 3 months ago

This somehow makes it weirder.

[–] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 1 points 3 months ago

Washington was the wealthiest man in the colonies by 1776. Sort of the Jeff Bezos of tobacco.

Would you let Jeff Bezos pull out nine of your teeth if he offered to paid you $1200?

[–] FuglyDuck@lemmy.world 27 points 3 months ago

Next question; If most the founding fathers owned slaves, whats that mean? Whats that say about america? So slavery was an institution and treated as the norm?

It also means we can, as a country, chose to be better. These asshats are not choosing to be better. There is a moral and ethical onus to improve ourselves as a nation and as individuals. They're failing that.

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