Robert E. Lee's opinion on slavery

[_DarkHelmet]

I was reading the Robert E Lee Wikipedia entry, and I found this quote interesting. Robert E Lee was around the same age as Joseph Smith and Brigham Young, and he believed slavery would end when God decided, not man. It's similar wording that the priesthood ban apologists use.

A key source for Lee's views is his 1856 letter to his wife:[55]

... In this enlightened age, there are few I believe, but what will acknowledge, that slavery as an institution, is a moral & political evil in any Country. It is useless to expatiate on its disadvantages. I think it however a greater evil to the white man than to the black race, & while my feelings are strongly enlisted in behalf of the latter, my sympathies are more strong for the former. The blacks are immeasurably better off here than in Africa, morally, socially & physically. The painful discipline they are undergoing, is necessary for their instruction as a race, & I hope will prepare & lead them to better things. How long their subjugation may be necessary is known & ordered by a wise Merciful Providence. ”


Freeman's analysis puts Lee's attitude toward slavery and abolition in historical context:

This [letter] was the prevailing view among most religious people of Lee's class in the border states. They believed that slavery existed because God willed it and they thought it would end when God so ruled. The time and the means were not theirs to decide, conscious though they were of the ill-effects of Negro slavery on both races.

[_bcspace]

You might find this article interesting:

Morality and Abstract Thinking - How Africans may differ from Westerners

I am an American who taught philosophy in several African universities from 1976 to 1988, and have lived since that time in South Africa. When I first came to Africa, I knew virtually nothing about the continent or its people, but I began learning quickly. I noticed, for example, that Africans rarely kept promises and saw no need to apologize when they broke them. It was as if they were unaware they had done anything that called for an apology.

It took many years for me to understand why Africans behaved this way but I think I can now explain this and other behavior that characterizes Africa. I believe that morality requires abstract thinking—as does planning for the future—and that a relative deficiency in abstract thinking may explain many things that are typically African.

What follow are not scientific findings. There could be alternative explanations for what I have observed, but my conclusions are drawn from more than 30 years of living among Africans.

Question is, is it racist? What if it's true? Still racist? Is it wrong to notice these things and try to explain them?

[_Corpsegrinder]

You might find this article interesting:
Morality and Abstract Thinking - How Africans may differ from Westerners

If you liked that, you'll love this...



Notable Mormons like Ernest L. Wilkinson, Ezra Taft Benson, W. Cleon Skousen, and J. Reuben Clark found it very informative.

[_Morley]

You might find this article interesting:

Morality and Abstract Thinking - How Africans may differ from Westerners

I am an American who taught philosophy in several African universities from 1976 to 1988, and have lived since that time in South Africa. When I first came to Africa, I knew virtually nothing about the continent or its people, but I began learning quickly. I noticed, for example, that Africans rarely kept promises and saw no need to apologize when they broke them. It was as if they were unaware they had done anything that called for an apology.

It took many years for me to understand why Africans behaved this way but I think I can now explain this and other behavior that characterizes Africa. I believe that morality requires abstract thinking—as does planning for the future—and that a relative deficiency in abstract thinking may explain many things that are typically African.

What follow are not scientific findings. There could be alternative explanations for what I have observed, but my conclusions are drawn from more than 30 years of living among Africans.

Question is, is it racist? What if it's true? Still racist? Is it wrong to notice these things and try to explain them?

BC, I did find your article interesting.

BCSpace’s link is to an article on the website of the American Renaissance Magazine (ARM). ARM was founded and is run by Jared Taylor.

About Jared Taylor, from ADL’s website:


Jared Taylor has used both mainstream and extremist venues, including a cable TV network, universities, radio and conferences, to promote his racist ideas.

Taylor has scheduled the ninth annual American Renaissance conference to be held in Charlotte, North Carolina, February 4-6, 2011. Speakers include a variety of racists from the United States and abroad. As he has with previous conferences, Taylor has invited speakers who focus on the racial divide and race relations and their impact on white culture in the United States, Europe and South Africa.

And

In June 2010, Taylor was one of the keynote speakers at the annual conference of the white supremacist Council of Conservative Citizens in Nashville, Tennessee.

In 2010, Taylor also made multiple appearances on "The Political Cesspool," a white supremacist Internet radio show run by racist James Edwards.

And

Taylor's portrayal of his racist views as intellectual inquiry enables him to maintain a position as a respectable academic source for racists, many of whom frequently cite his work.

[_ajax18]

Question is, is it racist? What if it's true? Still racist? Is it wrong to notice these things and try to explain them?

Admittedly all races have their problems and have fallen short of the glory of God. God Himself pulled no punches when calling out the problems in his own race.

Sometimes I wonder what it would be like if a closer relative of homosapiens had survived, like Neanderthals. How would we have treated them? How would they have treated us?

That's really what's been going on for all of recorded history between different races but only to a lesser extent. Anyone who discounts the biological element of it for whatever exalted purpose is still simply lying. Even people who are raised as leftist, clutch their wallets more tightly when passing through inner city New Orleans than they would in hickville trailor park. Simple life experience is a much more powerful teacher than any race relations apologetic politics written by a highly trained PhD. Thankfully for their own sakes, most people have practical sense enough to use good common sense. If not, they'll either learn pretty quick, or they'll suffer for it.

[_bcspace]

Simple life experience is a much more powerful teacher than any race relations apologetic politics written by a highly trained PhD.

Yet this PhD merely claims real life.

BC, I did find your article interesting.

I don't get that impression.

[_Morley]

I don't get that impression.

Please elaborate.

[_Sethbag]

Holy crap, BC. Please tell me you don't take that guy seriously.

[Guest]

Holy s***, BC. Please tell me you don't take that guy seriously.

I don't necessarily. But the mention of Robert E. Lee's feelings of the time reminded me of it. It sounds perfectly reasonable. It may even be true culturally. But is it true inherently? Probably not. At least I hope not.

I've had the opportunity to mingle for long periods of time with African blacks as well as American "ghetto" blacks and more educated and "Americanized" blacks and maintain friendships in all groups. Even dated a couple of black girls back in the 80's (no, not at the same time). There is at least some cultural truth in the article and I believe many of my friends from those groups would agree based on what they've said to me before.

[_bcspace]

I don't get that impression.

Please elaborate.

There was no mention of the actual substance of the article.