J South,

Slavery indeed does date back to biblical times, and perhaps one cannot 
pinpoint when or how it came to be. But, I am sincerely curious how it came 
to be that Africans were the slaves of choice and how it came to be that 
slaves were consigned to life-long slavery instead of freed following good 
service. Was it not your white ancestors (and their friends, neighbors and 
elected leaders) who adopted laws decreeing that while white servants would 
serve a period of indenture, that black servants were slave not only for 
life, but that any issue they produced were automatically born into slavery? 
When Africans first arrived in Virginia, they were servants for a specified 
amount of time. Was it either the Native Americans, or the Africans who 
passed laws depriving Africans, and only Africans of the right to earn their 
freedom? I think you are trying to absolve those who were indeed guilty of 
making a molehill into a mountain which led to the misuse and abuse of those 
who originated from Africa.

Anne

Anne Pemberton
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http://www.erols.com/apembert
http://www.educationalsynthesis.org 

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