Quote:
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.
And saying that the quote is not fair minded, because slavery was still legal in America. In fact, slavery was tacitly endorsed by removing from the declaration a condemnation of slavery.
Quote:
[Encarta98 article on Thomas Jefferson]
On July 2, 1776, Lee's resolution for independence was passed by Congress. Technically, this was the actual day of American independence. Then the declaration was debated, several changes were made, and some parts were dropped entirely. Jefferson regretted especially the deletion of a long paragraph denouncing the slave trade and the whole institution of slavery as a "cruel war against human nature itself."
Then concluding the quote from the ADI is not in fact a "goodie", but yet another endorsement of the inferiority (non-Humaness) of blacks. And throwing in, for good measure, the reference in the ADI to "merciless Indian Savages" -- just in case anybody had any doubt.
A pathetic way to argue! Don't you think? There are ways to condemn modern racism in America, but the above is not one of them!
Regardless of the fact that the quote didn't apply to all men, in actual day-to-day life, it is genuinely regarded as applying to all men by the people who quote it today. They're inspirational words, regardless of the history.
[Just a mention of Curcat's "goodies" threads. Not because I think current readers won't see the connection (honest!
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