Posted on 07/11/2009 2:21:16 PM PDT by nickcarraway
AMERICA’S first lady, Michelle Obama, fought back tears yesterday as she toured a former Dutch slaving fort similar to the one in which it is believed her ancestors were held before being shipped to work on plantations in the deep south of the United States.
On the second day of President Barack Obama’s historic trip to sub-Saharan Africa, the first family flew from the capital, Accra, for a tour of the restored 17th-century Cape Castle, previously one of the biggest slave outposts on the West African coast.
“As painful as it is, I think that it helps to teach all of us that we have to do what we can to fight against the kinds of evils that sadly still exist in our world, not just on this continent but in every corner of the globe,” said the president.
Before the visit, Michelle Obama, whose great-great-grandfather, Jim Robinson, her oldest known relative, was born into slavery on a rice plantation in South Carolina, was made “Queen of the Cape Coast” by traditional chiefs of the region.
The couple and their children, Sasha, 8, and Malia, 11, then descended the narrow staircase into the dark dungeons of the ocean-side fort where thousands of slaves were kept for up to 12 weeks waiting for a ship to dock.
Thousands of shackled African slaves huddled in squalor before being herded onto ships bound for America through the “gate of no return”.
Ghanaians are jubilant that the first black American president has honoured their country with his first visit to sub-Saharan Africa. They have greeted the trip more as a homecoming than an official visit. “Akwaaba[welcome home],” proclaim banners strung across Ghana’s main highways.
In a keynote speech to parliament, Obama acknowledged his African roots, saying he had “the blood of Africa within me”.
(Excerpt) Read more at timesonline.co.uk ...
I’m sure those white slavers on the ships went into the hinterlands to capture people and force them into the dark dungeons in the oceanside fort. It was ALL whitey’s fault, right?
She should be thanking GOD every night that her ancestors were captured and put on those ships. Her alternative : growing up in Africa. Think she'd be a First Lady / Man over there? Don't freakin think so.
It's his black ancestors that sold slaves.
Sure it wasn't FRED Thompson?
Thats interesting,
how ‘bout for africans in general:
it could be the half that were left in africa wishing they were in America,,,
but then again,it could be the half thats in America, glad they aint in Africa!
Why not go find sites/places/homes of ACTUAL, present-day slavery?Or, if you want to dwell on past slavery, let's talk about the KENYAN MUSLIMS who sold Blacks to the Europeans... by the BOATLOAD!
Bush and Rove's great-great-great-great grand-fathers.
A bow, profuse apology, and offer of monetary reparations coming in 5....4.....3.....2....
Another leftist American wallows in her perceived victimhood. So very predictable.
Nicely done. (I’m a little late back to the party...catching up on the comments.) And I like your tag line. I wish the terrorists Obama released as part of the New America had vacant dead eyes. G**, I don’t think I can live through the next three and a half years.
Titus must have been in the shower.
Okay. I TYPE ROFLMAOAPIMP all the time, but I am not, actually, at that moment, making loud noises or emitting bodily fluids. HOWEVER, this comment did in fact cause me to make very loud sounds and (because I am old and had three kids) let loose of some of my urine in my Hanky-Panky’s. This is a classic. A masterwork. A stroke of genius. Bravo. Ole and well done, old chap. Here you go:
ROFLMAOAPIMP.
Ok...but where’s the history and “tour” on how they got from their villages to the port?
“Michelle Obama, whose great-great-grandfather, Jim Robinson, her oldest known relative”
Wah? You been holdin out on us? ;o)
*snerk*
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