Let me start this article with stating a fact, one that is going to change the perception of many of you who dare to read this article. I am a white woman. What do I know about slavery?
When the word 'slavery' is mumbled within our society today, it is almost ALWAYS associated with the African slave trade by the white Europeans of early America. But that's only ONE faction, one truth, one piece of slavery, and it's not even the whole picture. Yet this one particular faction has rooted a segregated hate that is very prevalent in our current society, and continues to spread its anger and hate like a cancer through our youth with the access to social media - a place where that bias and hate is spread like a incurable disease. However, I wish our youth would use this amazing access via the internet to hunt for the truth and search history on their own. But, most don't. It's too much work, requires too much time, and in this ADHD society, it costs too much focus. It's easier to just listen to the lessons of more hate, more anger, and more division in our movies, music, videos, art, pop cultural, and political incorrect insensitivity. It's easier to let others think for us and tell us what we feel, what we know, and what we should do about it. In ignorance, the issue of slavery has been relegated to racism, which in essence slavery has nothing to do with race. YES, there was a race of slaves that were enslaved because of their race, but that doesn't make all slavery about race. In truth, even THAT particular slavery was more about economics than race, yet the hate that was bred, nurtured, and spread came down to race - on both sides of the hate - and continues today in a generation that has never known slavery, only racism. Lest we forget the millions of Native Americans that were marched out of their homes, across a harsh land in harsh conditions, dying daily along the Trail of Tears was a form of slavery too.
Slavery isn't a black or white issue. Racism isn't really a black or white issue. Hate isn't a black or white issue. Hate is hate. To hate someone, belittle them, think them inferior or less human because of the color of someone's skin, because of their culture, because of their sex, because of their education, because of their status in society - is simple ignorance. Ignorance breeds hate and fear, intolerance and indifference. Slavery is pure evil. To own, to trade, or treat another human being as an object, as inhumane, as property, is wrong on EVERY level. To also turn a blind eye to it, is just as evil. Yet, we turn a blind to slavery everyday, often because we are too busy arguing with each other about our prejudice, intolerance, and privilege, or lack thereof. While we are arguing about how 'unfair' life is - there are child slaves working 15-20 hours a day in sweatshops and workhouses, there are young girls and boys being kidnapped from their homes and sold to the highest bidder to perverts, there are young girls being married off as young as five and six years old to old bastards, traded like pieces of property, and then raped and beat and expected to accept it as okay behavior, there are millions of women who are not allowed to speak, to be educated, to even be seen, raped and then stoned to death for being raped, and it is culturally accepted. Yet, I don't see pop stars, rappers, actors, civil-rights activists, or political pundits out here fighting against this slavery. We think it's a problem 'over there'. Young Africans being kidnapped by their own people and sold to the highest bidding white European was at one time a problem 'over there'. Millions of Jewish people led to the gas chambers, stripped of all their dignity and humanity was a problem 'over there'. A whole village of white Moldovian girls being kidnapped, drugged, beat, and sold to the highest pervert is a problem 'over there'. A young woman being ganged-raped by a group of men being stoned to death in the streets for being raped is a problem 'over there'. Mexicans trying to escape to a better world and using their last peso to purchase their own enslavement from mules is a problem 'over there'. Or is it?
American's don't often realize how much goes on right here in their back yards. Human trafficking is a big business, and our society would be shocked if they realized how many humans - black, white, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, European, child and adult, are transferred through our safe American streets on a daily basis. We're too busy hating each other over an atrocity that happened a hundred years ago. Yes, African slavery happened. Yes, it was wrong. But, what Black America seems to forget is that freedom came at a cost. There was a high price paid for that freedom and that price was paid by people who believed what was happening was wrong - and that included a LOT of white people. Slavery isn't a race issue, it's a bondage issue. Ignorant racists don't hate black people because they were slaves. Ignorant racists hate black people because they're ignorant and believe they are superior by their white genetics. Ignorant black people don't hate white people because their ancestors were enslaved, they hate white people because of the racists acts that have been inflicted upon them and by them. My Jewish ancestors were slaves many times, but I choose not to hate Egyptians, Germans, Americans, or even Africans because of it. I hate slavery, period. I hate intolerance, period. I hate hate, period.
I hate when I hear white racists try to justify their hate. I hate when I hear black racists try to justify their hate. I hate when either of them try to placate their hate in a joke. I hate when they spew their bullshit in public and want a pat on the back for their stand - but what are they standing for? Civil rights activists that marched across those bridges were not ONLY black. Civil Rights isn't only a black issue, yet I am literally told almost on a daily basis how I don't belong or don't understand, or that I too am a racist because I'm white. No, it's because I call them on their bullshit. Suck it up whiny babies. If you want to do something to change the hate, then get off your lazy whiny asses and start doing something. There are programs and organizations out there in the world that are currently fighting against slavery. BTW - our welfare system is another form of modern slavery. It promises aide, but it comes with a cost. There are programs that are helping free and rescue victims of human trafficking going on TODAY. There are organizations out there fighting for women's rights around the world, not just here in the United States. There are people of all color, sexes, and cultures DOING something about slavery besides spreading hate. If you're doing NOTHING about it, then shut up. Shut your hateful spoiled mouth. I don't want to hear your stupid angry songs about how 'unfair' life has been. I'm angry about it NOW. I'm angry about what happened in the past, what's happening now, and what's going to happen in the future. I have had nightmares hearing victims tell of their plights, learning how children are suffering today, knowing that when I put my head on my comfortable pillow at night they are in pain, alone, scared, and living in conditions I can't even imagine. I have looked into the eyes of a young girl that has been rescued from human trafficking and THAT is worth fighting for. I didn't care what color skin she had, only that she had been freed. I understand bondage more than you'd expect. I have lived in bondage, been beat, abused, raped, held captive and forced to do things I knew were wrong and didn't want to do, and I'm a white girl living in America. So, excuse me when I don't think your racist song or joke is funny, or when I get upset when I hear someone who had an opportunity to bring people together instead want to cause more division, more separation because they are 'angry' about unfairness.
Life is NOT fair, but ALL life matters. Not white lives, black lives, blue lives, brown lives, yellow lives, animal lives, or sea life that matters. ALL life matters. Slavery is wrong. Hate is wrong. I don't need a religion or a law to tell me that it's wrong. It's WRONG, period.
Till next time,
~T.L. Gray
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