Say what you will about the “happy slave” trope, but Watto really does seem to care about Anakin and Shmi. He even gets a little misty when he sees Anakin again in Episode II and tells him about having to sell his mother.
I do agree with you there, but I got the impression that, given the choice, Shmi and Anakin would have opted not to be slaves, right? It’s true that she wasn’t being routinely beaten or raped or anything (that we know of), but I’m pretty sure that if I were Anakin and the Jedi were so blasé about rescuing my mother, I’d have told them where they could cram their lightsabers.
Gosh that sounds dumb.
Does anyone else think that Lucas just puts in things like "you served with my father in the clone wars' and "he will restore balance to the force" because he thinks they sound cool, then is at a loss when he realizes that the story forces him to explain them. He could really take a lesson from the fanwankers.Amen, amen, amen.
Joke noted.
Still, I always thought that was a funny assertion. To me, Watto to be an anti-Italian stereotype. But I guess we all see what we want in things.
Double amen from me. Lucas is obviously wrong and Smiling Bandit and Tristan have it right.
As much as I hate to inject my opinion over the author, he set up the story so that there was only one real conclusion - which I used, of course. For some reason, he doesn’t like that conclusion. Why did he set it up? I mean, he went way out of his way to do it! 
Why would they make sure she was free? It’s not any of their business, and caring about people isn’t part of the Jedi code.
Indeed, it’s somewhat anathema to the Old Jedi, as demonstrated in the prequels. One could argue that Luke, who “converts” Vader with love, is showing that a better, new, Jedi Order can be founded with more compassionate Jedi. I forget how that plays out in the EU.
I don’t know much about the EU, but I know Luke is married, with kids.