Native americans had slaves? Do you have any references to put in perspective and counter right wing boot licking perspectives on this matter? Like the issue is feudalism and capitalism/imperialism at the core. Like the natives had conflict… possibly scalped a few but I think the right wing on behalf of their “Yes big daddy” capo corpo masters like to paint images of a past a skew.

  • sylver_dragon@lemmy.worldEnglish
    1·
    4 days ago

    What is going on in the Middle Eastern countries is horrific and it really does get far less attention than it should. At the same time, it does pale in comparison to the scale and scope of the slave trade in the Americas. The US in particular also demonstrated an amazing level of hypocrisy in both having and keeping slavery for so long. When your entire country is premised on the phrase:

    We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal.

    And then you turn around and have slaves and institutionalize that they only count as 3/5 of a person. And also have a rebellion fighting to keep those slaves. It rather sticks out.

    All that said. The fact that we treat modern dictatorships and slavers like our closest friends is utterly reprehensible. I really look forward to the day we can shift most energy production and transportation off fossil fuels. Those dictators will find themselves without friends and a ready source of wealth.

    • Zephyr@sh.itjust.works
      1·
      4 days ago

      To continually focus on what happened a century and a half ago in a totally different region of Africa than east Africa and to simultaneously be unable to speak about what is happening currently here feels like the conversation is being guided. Like if one speaks about the inhumane practices of the mines in Congo which are 80% owned by Chinese companies the conversation immediately shifts to something that happened in the past and/or some other region of Africa. It’s like we can’t even communicate about anyone having bad behavior in Africa except for America or an EU country. Clearly no country is anyone’s friend and for sure no one is friends with any African country. Just look at the media coverage of Gaza vs the coverage of the concurrent genocides in Africa, namely Sudan and Ethiopia. It’s absolute crickets in the global news. That’s to say Africa is just a fun talking point for people to feel better and not actually a place people care about.