It’s frustrating that logic and facts are no longer enough to dismantle illogical beliefs. Some refuse to concede, no matter how much evidence is presented. And it doesn’t have much to do with the lack of evidence or validity of the information that is being presented. Nah, it’s because accepting they could be wrong would mean unraveling the very foundation of their identity. The irony? That’s exactly what they’ve done to everyone who doesn’t look or think like them.
They refuse to acknowledge that they’ve benefited from events that happened long before they were born. And they certainly don’t feel obligated to take any responsibility for the past. Under different circumstances, I might be open to hearing another perspective. But when it comes to history, there’s no excuse for this level of rigidity and deliberate ignorance. Yeah, the truth can make one feel uncomfortable but it is so necessary in order to truly reconcile and rebuild.
I’m sure you’ve heard the usual excuses:
“I never owned slaves. My family didn’t either, so how am I the problem?”
“How can I be privileged when I’m poor and more disenfranchised than anyone these days?”
They are laughable defenses but I’ve seen it play out time and time again. And if we’re being honest? I don’t see that changing anytime soon.
And I love your writing style. There's nothing at all funny about the content but I nevertheless thoroughly enjoyed the reading of it.
Not sure where I found you but I'm glad I did: I learned a lot today.
Side note: I saw so many kids bonded out in the old NC records when doing genealogical research. I always assumed they were orphaned or the families were poor. Now I wonder if they were mixed race. Adds a whole new layer of awfulness to the practice.
This is an amazing and inspiring analysis as well as use of primary sources. If only there were more history-centered conversations, including diverse perspectives in the broader conversation.
God. It was an obscenity from the get-go.
I am horrified to comprehend how many years it took me to understand that.
Appreciate all you do 🙏🏾
It’s frustrating that logic and facts are no longer enough to dismantle illogical beliefs. Some refuse to concede, no matter how much evidence is presented. And it doesn’t have much to do with the lack of evidence or validity of the information that is being presented. Nah, it’s because accepting they could be wrong would mean unraveling the very foundation of their identity. The irony? That’s exactly what they’ve done to everyone who doesn’t look or think like them.
They refuse to acknowledge that they’ve benefited from events that happened long before they were born. And they certainly don’t feel obligated to take any responsibility for the past. Under different circumstances, I might be open to hearing another perspective. But when it comes to history, there’s no excuse for this level of rigidity and deliberate ignorance. Yeah, the truth can make one feel uncomfortable but it is so necessary in order to truly reconcile and rebuild.
I’m sure you’ve heard the usual excuses:
“I never owned slaves. My family didn’t either, so how am I the problem?”
“How can I be privileged when I’m poor and more disenfranchised than anyone these days?”
They are laughable defenses but I’ve seen it play out time and time again. And if we’re being honest? I don’t see that changing anytime soon.
Fantastic research 👏
And I love your writing style. There's nothing at all funny about the content but I nevertheless thoroughly enjoyed the reading of it.
Not sure where I found you but I'm glad I did: I learned a lot today.
Side note: I saw so many kids bonded out in the old NC records when doing genealogical research. I always assumed they were orphaned or the families were poor. Now I wonder if they were mixed race. Adds a whole new layer of awfulness to the practice.
This is an amazing and inspiring analysis as well as use of primary sources. If only there were more history-centered conversations, including diverse perspectives in the broader conversation.