DISCLAIMER: THE FOLLOWING ARE FACTS THAT I HAVE GATHERED AND SOME OPINIONS. THEY MAY OR MAY NOT BE MY PERSONAL BELIEFS.
Recently in Speech class, we were running some mini debates. One of the topics were “Resolved: The founding fathers were hypocrites.” I decided I disagree with that statement. here’s why.
One, people believe they were hyporcrites because they believe in the liberty of all men, yet owned slaves etc etc. However, it is important to remember not ALL of them owned slaves. Many did not. And many strongly advocated for the abolishment of slavery in the Declaration of Independence. However, if that was added to it, the Southern colonies would not sign it.
Does this mean the Southern congressmen were horrible people? Maybe. However, they were representing their states (remember that little thing called democracy) And the fact was the Southern states simply did not want to give up slavery. Therefore, the representatives were doing their job. If they did abolish slavery in the D of I, it would in affect make the whole idea of democracy null.
Secondly, the congressmen KNEW that they were about to piss off their “parents” royally! (No pun intended). Now, G.B. traded with the colonies, and had a good little system going that kept most people happy. It was called mercantilism. (I know that is not spelled right) So, they were about to destroy one important economic factor, why go out of their way to destroy another? The slave trade was very lucrative, and as a result of slavery, the southern agriculture was very lucrative. Would it be in their best economic interests to destroy that? Probably not. Morally it was not right, but come on, when as this country ever cared about morals?
Thirdly, Africans were not the only slaves. There was a practice known as Indentured Servatude. It was not as harsh as slavery, but basically the same thing. As early as American Revolution and before, slavery MAY not have been a racist thing. Later it definately was, I’m just saying that so early in history it MAY NOT have been.
Finally, many of the founding fathers who DID have slaves made them free, including G. Washington. Tom Jefferson didn’t, but he DID pay them for a time, and then they were freed after he died.
So, based on the facts that they were A: reflecting the beliefs of the citizens of the SOuthern colonies, B:It was an economic factor, C: Africans were not the only slaves in America, and D: Many of them freed their slaves anyway, I have come to the conclusion that the founding fathers were NOT hyporcrites. Wrong on many counts, but not hypocrites.
“Everybody’s got something to hide except for me and my monkey”-The Beatles
Perhaps a case could be made that even if they themselves didn’t own slaves, they consented to the institution of slavery by enshrining it in the Consititution.
This just indicates that they were pragmatic hypocrites.
If you take a moral stance, e.g. that all men are free and created equal, but your actions do not reflect that stance, aren’t you a hypocrite? Having economic reasons for betraying your morals does not excuse your actions.
Whether slavery was racist or not (I think it undisputably was), it still was in direct contradiction of the idea that all men were created equal with certain inalienable rights.
Now that I’ve badmouthed the founding fathers enough ;), I should mention that they were products of their time. When they wrote “…all men…” they really meant all white men. They just didn’t think it necessary to specify. In fact, I still admire the founding fathers because they were much more enlightened about democracy than most in their time. It’s hard to blame them for not being as advanced as we are 230 yrs later. I wish they’d been advanced enough in their thinking to give the rights of liberty and democracy to everyone, but people advance one step at a time. They were products of a barbaric age, and who knows? Maybe some future individuals will perceive our time as a barbaric age? I do think they were hypocrites, but I don’t hold that against them very much.
“…Dark Matter, every pound of which weighs ten thousand pounds” -Futurama
My thinking is similar to WeVets, but quite a bit less critical.
I think the FF were trying to accomplish more than what the [then] current society would deem acceptable, and in fact merely laid the framework for what they hoped our society would [eventually] become.
In this, I feel they were far wiser than most pols. today; they didn’t bite off more than they could chew, instead planting the seeds of ideas that later blossomed (and in many regards, continue to do so!) into Emancipation.
ExTank
“Then again, they may have been hypocrites.”
I agree with ExTank; but Pepperlandgirl, if this country isn’t suitable to you, you can always emigrate…Do you object to the existence of the United States, or do you wish that the Constitution drafted in 1787 were more in line with late 20th Century political correctness? Sorry, I can’t help you with that.
Uh…did it sound like I don’t like the United States, or that the constitution should be more politically correct? That really upsets me because that is NOT what I meant at all. I thought I was defending the FF’s actions because A LOT of people I have heard do not think they did a good job. I was just bringing forth the points that I would use in a debate to DEFEND them with. You see? I think they were in the RIGHT. and I don’t think that they did ANYTHING wrong because they WERE products of their time. Maybe I should have just said that in the beginning.
“Everybody’s got something to hide except for me and my monkey”-The Beatles
All right…I see your point. Hey, when I was in the eighth grade (1962) and we were studying the Constitution, the book, then already several years old, even pointed out that the Founding Fathers themselves debated the issue of slavery at considerable length. Some passages were included, in fact, because, without them, ‘the slave states would not have signed the Constitution.’
These days it has become fashionable for many writers to put the Constitution down because it was drafted by ‘dead white males’ or something.
“Watch George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton and Benjamin Franklin do battle with the evil Galactus!”
George freezes his troops half to death and launches a sneak amphibious assault on Galactus!
Jefferson…Jefferson…we’ll come back to Jefferson!
Hamilton batters Galactus with his mighty Federalist Papers, whacking him squarely about the head and shoulders!
Franklin launches his amazing Electric Kite, frying the evil Galactus until he learns to stay out of the rain!
Jefferson…Jefferson…uhmmm…buys up Glactus’ real-estate from the French, and launches a reconnaissance mission-, er, I mean an survey party, yeah, that’s it, into the new territory!
Next week, Patton, Bradley, MacArthur and Montgomery take on Galactus!
This thread touches on a topic I think of often. I believe that the founders of this country were hypocrites.
But since we all are to some degree or another, I don’t hold it against them too much.
The following is from Lies My Teacher Told Me by James W. Loewen. I would recomend this book for anyone who is interested in American history.
Also for anyone taking a high school history course and their parents.
Racism was the tool that allowed them to live with their hypocricy.
ie-“I believe that all men are created equal, but negros are not men.”
Thank you for reading my post.
-Curtis
PS- I would be honored to have SingleDad point out any inconsistancies in my thinking. Now that he is back on board.
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