Posted on 03/24/2007 1:10:58 AM PDT by Jedi Master Pikachu
I think if people who consider themselves African-American instead of just Americans and they want to go bakc to their original names they should buy a one way ticket pack all the good things that America has given them ,better take a few sandwiches too, and head on back to Africa. I am sure they will be welcomed,until their money runs out.
Still it was a great week of television. One that I will never forget.
Roots was first published by Alex Halley as the true story of his family's coming to America.
When real historians questioned much of what was offered as fact in the book, he changed to "historical novel."
When theauthor of another novel called "The African" sued Halley for plagerism, won a large settlement and forced Halley to admit his theft publicly "Roots" becamse "Bull**it"
It is a source of rage in me that here in Annapolis, the soft headed white liberal guilt mongers allowed a statue of Halley on the inner harbor pool and placques commemorating the arrival in America of Kunte Kinte in Annapolis.
Good Morning Anse112,
Here is an epithet that all sane people in America need to embrace. "That was then and this is now."
I myself am sick of this slavery sugar-tit being milked for infinity as a cancerous growth which keeps returning after being removed/cured.
Unfortunately some of these ideaologists will never face the truth of slavery as to how it began.
Conquering african tribes sold members of the defeated tribes to the dutch.(europeans) The dutch in turn sold them to landowners in the America both north and south.
They were a work force owned by the individuals who purchased them. One's standard of living was invested in the slavery work-force a commodity purchased with pecuniary interest.
Some slaves owned other slaves and were given land, a home and other essentials as payment(wages) for their labours from their investors.
As to mistreatment, I am sure slaves were mis-treated, but one might ponder how well a beaten or abused slave might perform his duties, if that were a constant pattern during those times. A whipped, abused, or impaired work-force will yield far less productivity in the cotton industry for the slave owners.
I believe any sane and prudent person would not condone or adhere to any form of slavery in this day and age.
We all need to remember that we as Americans, regardless of race, color or creed should not become slaves held accountable for what happened in the past.
Communists love to use the past to futher divide and conquer America.
The commies far left-wing liberals have one agenda,(destroy America) by any means necessary.
Americans please remember, when you are in a foxhole fighting the enemies of America and our way of life, it does not matter what race the person is fighting beside you.
In closing, Ansel your concept(comments) are the way things out to be viewed in America.
Respectfully,
NSNR
If you enjoyed "A Man for All Seasons" you would also enjoy "Lion in Winter."
Politicians talk in shorthand and symbols. News stories on TV rarely last more than two minutes. And people are more isolated. The world is complicated, yet people prefer bumper stickers to a books.
It's been quite a few years since I watched "Roots." I think the last time I rented it on video from Blockbuster. That was long before the days of DVD. Can anybody recall if the role many Africans played in the sale and capture of other Africans by slavers was portrayed in the series?
Including one future murderer, OJ Simpson.
Oh yeah...he played Kunte's father.
Cogswell's Cogs Rules!!
Anyway, LeVar Burton had to run from the character Simpson's character was playing and Burton outran him. Simpson could not believe how fast Burton was.
You're right. Thanks for correcting my bad memory.
The story tracks real events. So why are you bent out of shape? Of couse the characters are larely fictional. How much do you know about the actual persons who were your great-grand parents?
No problem.
Worth repeating.
Probably not, but what you are doing is taking away from the power of the story. I was moved when I read the story and really captured by the television series. What I do find sad that so many blacks are so embittered that they are NOT open to tales about the hardships of the indentured servants, or for that matter, the impoverished lives of the British lower classes. Any discussion of the latter is taken as an apology for black slavery. They simply can't believe that the lives of poor white men could have as miserable as those of black slaves in Virginia. I would be curious to read a review of "Amazing Grace" by a black studies professor. Here is the story of a great man, the equal of Lincoln as a benefactor of blacks and, for that matter, the equal of Gladstone as the benefactor of the poor of England. But my guess is that he inspires only resentment.
Likewise, many blacks refuse to believe that there were black Confederates.
I do a bit of genealogy, and one thing I have discovered in my own research is that fairy tales about one's roots are not confined to those of African ancestry.
There are a great many people who take pride in a descent from Mayflower pilgrims or European royalty that is unsuppported by facts.
-ccm
I have read enough about Reconstruction to know that events that happened in "Birth of a Nation" did happen. I wouldn't say that either "Roots" nor "Birth of a Nation" would represent society as it was as a whole and in context.
I saw "Roots" as a kid back in the 70's and I was absolutely convinced it was true at least until recently when I was reading one of the Destroyer series of adventure novels and the author implied Roots was fiction and gave some good reasons which made me think.
All these years I never thought to question nor challenge what I learned as a kid. As a society we really need to learn to question everything as Socrates thought his pupils.
Aunt B,
Thank you.
Graciously,
NSNR
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.