October 18, 2008

Slavery's Effects on Our Culture





What has slavery done to the Black Family? Some think slavery is something that happened in the past that was horrible and ended. I believe slavery has left an indelible mark on the black family.

Imagine the devastation of men being ripped from their families, watching their wives being raped. The man, the staple of the family, with no control over his home. He is stripped of his dignity and pride and made to feel like an animal.

The psychological effect this has on his manhood is profound. It tore the black family apart. I think it still riddles a majority of our black families today. Father's who don't feel the need to be part of their children's' lives is an idea that is indigent to our black communities.

In order to conquer someone you must make them less than you and slavery still has those effects. Ultimately, I think slavery did what it intended to do. It disabled our young black men and made them feel inferior and took away the pride and self-esteem that black cultures once held. Not to get back on the election topic, but Barack Obama is a blessing in disguise, he is the hope of the young black man.

I don't care about the 40 acres in a mule, what's crucial is that our young black men feel confident in their abilities and understand the line of men that they came from. Strong black men, so strong that they were brutalized and exterminated because they were feared. It was fear that initiated slavery, a fear of their potential for greatness.

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