"Slavery is opposed to the free market. Since I believe that capitalism is, on the whole, a good thing, I believe that slavery is a morally bad and inefficient way to organize an economy. Thus, the end of slavery is cause for celebration for anyone who believes in the free market. Its an affirmation of capitalist economics." There are those who propose that Africa didn't become "educated" in free market capitalism until its merchants (African) gained experience in the slave markets with Europeans. "Slavery is opposed to self-government. If you believe in the capacity of individuals to make meaningful choices for themselves, then you also must believe that slavery is a terrible thing. As a libertarian, I celebrate the end of slavery as a victory for freedom and for the classical liberal principles in which I believe." I agree, except the collection and marketing of slaves in Africa could not have taken place without the consent and imprimatur of the "governments" and "political systems" in control of the African cultures at the times of the slave trade. It was democracy in the Western cultures, and ultimately the European/Christian colonization of Africa, that ultimately killed off the slave trade. "Slavery is opposed to Protestant, and especially to Reformed, Christianity. Martin Luther's principle of "Sola Scriptura" requires that Christians be able to read. Slavery functioned most efficiently when the slaves could not read, and as a rule radically retarded the spread of literacy among the slave population. Since I am a Protestant Christian, I see in the abolition of slavery a powerful victory for Christianity." I agree. It was Christianity that forced the end of the heathen trade in slaves that had been carried on for centuries, and continues to be carried on, by the Africans. "Indeed, I will venture to go further. If you reject the values that Juneteenth celebrates, you are also rejecting the honorable and decent values for which Ronald Reagan stood. " No. RR was perhaps our greatest American president. He would not have been very supportive of a "celebration" that resulted in racial violence. J South ************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com.