Abraham Lincoln freed the slaves, agree or disagree?
Poll - Total Votes: 42
Agree
Disagree
Disagree, slavery still exists today especially human trafficking and in prisons.
You may vote on multiple answers.
22-25, F
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NotMy1stRodeo · 56-60, M
Pretzel · 70-79, M
@NotMy1stRodeo actually the constitution of the US refers to prison life as slavery
Thirteenth Amendment, Section 1: Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.
Thirteenth Amendment, Section 1: Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.
LordShadowfire · 46-50, M
@NotMy1stRodeo Well, if this really isn't your first rodeo, then you're not as naïve as you're pretending to be, but I'm going to go along with the gag and pretend you really don't know.
The 13th Amendment prohibits slavery everywhere except as punishment in jails and prisons. This means that prison inmates can be used as free labor. And in many states, privately owned prisons exist to take advantage of this loophole. (Well, I guess it's not a loophole, exactly. As the old saying goes, it's not a bug, it's a feature.) In the decades after the Civil War, and even well into the mid 20th century, former Confederate states would take advantage of the fact that this exception exists by passing so-called "sundown laws". These were laws enacting excessive penalties for committing common misdemeanors "after sundown", which was code for while black. So a black man would get in trouble for spitting on the sidewalk "after sundown", and go to jail. Once he was there, he was in the hands of racist white supremacist guards, who would intentionally provoke him through constant verbal and occasional physical abuse until he lashed out. It never took very long, and the moment a prisoner lashed out in response to the constant barrage of abuse, he would be charged with a new crime. And as you know, assaulting a correctional officer is a felony. Off they would ship him to a privately owned prison. The CEOs of these privately owned prisons would contract out crews of inmates to the highway department, construction companies, or whoever else needed some cheap labor.
And there you are. Slavery with extra steps.
The 13th Amendment prohibits slavery everywhere except as punishment in jails and prisons. This means that prison inmates can be used as free labor. And in many states, privately owned prisons exist to take advantage of this loophole. (Well, I guess it's not a loophole, exactly. As the old saying goes, it's not a bug, it's a feature.) In the decades after the Civil War, and even well into the mid 20th century, former Confederate states would take advantage of the fact that this exception exists by passing so-called "sundown laws". These were laws enacting excessive penalties for committing common misdemeanors "after sundown", which was code for while black. So a black man would get in trouble for spitting on the sidewalk "after sundown", and go to jail. Once he was there, he was in the hands of racist white supremacist guards, who would intentionally provoke him through constant verbal and occasional physical abuse until he lashed out. It never took very long, and the moment a prisoner lashed out in response to the constant barrage of abuse, he would be charged with a new crime. And as you know, assaulting a correctional officer is a felony. Off they would ship him to a privately owned prison. The CEOs of these privately owned prisons would contract out crews of inmates to the highway department, construction companies, or whoever else needed some cheap labor.
And there you are. Slavery with extra steps.
NotMy1stRodeo · 56-60, M
@LordShadowfire @Pretzel
I'm talking modern day .. not the first couple decades after the civil war or a hundred frigging years ago.
Prisoners ought to have to work to support the cost of feeding, housing and overseeing them. Anyone in prison should be subject to that to lessen the tax burden on the law abiding public.
That's very different than slavery as it existed up until the 1860s .. and you damn well know it.
I'm talking modern day .. not the first couple decades after the civil war or a hundred frigging years ago.
Prisoners ought to have to work to support the cost of feeding, housing and overseeing them. Anyone in prison should be subject to that to lessen the tax burden on the law abiding public.
That's very different than slavery as it existed up until the 1860s .. and you damn well know it.
LordShadowfire · 46-50, M
@NotMy1stRodeo Nope. Same concept. Forced free labor. And again, it was used primarily to keep black people enslaved.
If you give me a bit, I can find a very informative YouTube video on the subject.
If you give me a bit, I can find a very informative YouTube video on the subject.
NotMy1stRodeo · 56-60, M
@LordShadowfire No. Its the consequential outcome of voluntary commission of a crime vs the involuntary taking of personal freedom. Its not remotely the same.
LordShadowfire · 46-50, M
@NotMy1stRodeo It's like you completely ignored my entire comment, and are responding to an entirely different thread.
NotMy1stRodeo · 56-60, M
@LordShadowfire Nooo .. its like Im refuting that the things you raised are relevant in the modern developed world.
LordShadowfire · 46-50, M
@NotMy1stRodeo But privately owned prisons were still being used to enslave people throughout the 1960s and '70s, and I would argue they're still being used for that. Unless you are prepared to sit there and provide evidence that literally every convicted felon is actually guilty of the crime they were charged with, your argument is null and void.