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This sort of discussion is a bit like the War on Drugs, where we debate whether this is a supply or demand problem without touching upon morality. Yes, there will always be evil, from all walks of life. And yes, the Ottomans were active in the slave trade, and slavery was pretty popular in Ancient Greece and in Biblical times. Further, tribal warfare helped fuel the supply of slaves, just like there is no shortage of dudes willing to sell drugs to children and adults alike.

Slavery is about morality. Morality depends upon not giving in to sinful activities. Yes, those individuals leading people in to sin are guilty; ultimately, the sinner is accountable for his/her own deeds.

Americans bought other humans and nobody forced them to do so. That is the bottom line. It doesn't matter if the slaves fared better than they would have absent slavery: a sin is always a sin.

Now, a raging and bitter war between the States was fought and the slaves were freed. We sorted out this problem, time to move on. Let's not introduce the Chewbacca Defense. True, there was also a principle of sovereignty and Northern overreach. But to suggest slavery played no role in the CW is like suggesting prostitution has nothing to do with carnality.

If men and women of good character could agree that 1) slavery Is immoral, 2) the slave was the victim, 3) slavery is illegal in the US (except for the 16th Amendment), 4) racism remains in the world, 5) the sin of slavery and reparations today apply to slaveowners and slaves provided you were alive during the CW, 6) despite slavery and the CW, most people of all walks of life in America get along pretty well - not bad, especially compared to other nations and how they deal with racism, and 7) there is a cottage industry of hate-mangers who love to blame that guy who looks like ____ for all their evils, life would be so much easier.

I agree with everything you said.

I was being “larger than morality” and looking at the truth of human behavior. There will always be people who choose evil. Good people must always fight evil. But it’s not going to go away.

It fits with my religion’s belief that man is not born inherently bad or good but with two simultaneous urges speaking, the urge to do what is good and the urge to do what is bad. It is up to us to listen to the good urge, and humans usually do. We are a very helpful lot. But some of us do not.

I've studied US history for a long time, mostly as a hobby. Both sides of the Civil War has to resort to conscription. This happened after a year and half of war which was initially fought with volunteers.

The South had to resort to conscription because life in the Army(Known as the P.A.C.S. Provisional Army of the Confederate States) was so full of harsh privation. The North because of slavery and the Emancipation Act. Not many in the North would willingly fight to free the slaves. This is what made conscription necessary.

I generally agree with everything you said. The point I was trying to make is that the love of money is color blind. There were black, brown and white actors who made American slavery possible.

As far as degree of culpibility, I take a queue from Jesus: "Jesus answered, "You (Pilate) would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you (the Jewish leadership) is guilty of a greater sin." - John 19:11