Thomas Jefferson: Slavery - Off-Topic

#1 Posted by Jnr6Lil (6682 posts) - 6 months, 12 days ago - Show Bio

I just find it hypocritical how Thomas Jefferson said all men are crated equal yet owned slaves and even had a child with Sally Hennings, What's your opinion on Thomas Jefferson and him being a slaveowner?

#2 Posted by King Saturn (211203 posts) - 6 months, 12 days ago - Show Bio

you hit it spot on, dude
Jefferson was a hypocrite for owning slaves and then saying all men are equal... the history of slavery back then used to be justified by the Bible also... which just shows that our American History has several black spots on it...

#3 Posted by Xanni15 (5938 posts) - 6 months, 12 days ago - Show Bio

It was a different culture back then. I know TJ is credited with fighting against slavery as well.

Lincoln whom everyone thinks was all anti-slavery wanted to ship all the slaves out of the country, so Jefferson isn't the only one.

#4 Posted by Jnr6Lil (6682 posts) - 6 months, 12 days ago - Show Bio

@Xanni15: Shipping all the slaves out of the country really doesn't sound like that bad of a fate

Sure, Lincoln's main goal was preserving the Union, and I don't think he ever said once that he wanted slavery to end. Hell it's been said the main reason he wanted to end slavery was to make, the slaves citizens so they could get him more votes.

But there's a difference in that and straight up owning slaves as Jefferson did.

#5 Posted by Xanni15 (5938 posts) - 6 months, 12 days ago - Show Bio

@Jnr6Lil:

Jefferson has been said to have wanted slavery to end, yet he kept slaves. Lincoln wanted to end slavery so that they could vote?

#6 Posted by Jnr6Lil (6682 posts) - 6 months, 12 days ago - Show Bio

@Xanni15: Can't compare hypocristy to wanting end slavery for the wrong reason. Either way Jefferson still owned slaves.

#7 Posted by Xanni15 (5938 posts) - 6 months, 12 days ago - Show Bio

@Jnr6Lil said:

@Xanni15: Can't compare hypocristy to wanting end slavery for the wrong reason. Either way Jefferson still owned slaves.

It was a different culture between the two. I never said Jefferson didn't own slaves, but are you ignoring the positives of Jefferson?

#8 Edited by _Punk_ (3341 posts) - 6 months, 12 days ago - Show Bio

So did the Grimke Sisters.

#9 Posted by slacker the hacker (7615 posts) - 6 months, 12 days ago - Show Bio

@Jnr6Lil said:

@Xanni15: Can't compare hypocristy to wanting end slavery for the wrong reason. Either way Jefferson still owned slaves.

Let it go. It happened a long time ago and I don't think most people care in general. Word of advice dude everyone's a hypocrite. Heck I heard somewhere that Hitler was half jewish. Talk about ironic.

#10 Posted by Jnr6Lil (6682 posts) - 6 months, 12 days ago - Show Bio

@Xanni15 said:

@Jnr6Lil said:
@Xanni15: Can't compare hypocristy to wanting end slavery for the wrong reason. Either way Jefferson still owned slaves.
It was a different culture between the two. I never said Jefferson didn't own slaves, but are you ignoring the positives of Jefferson?

I'm not ignoring the positives, Just saying he's a hypocrite and really shouldn't be hailed in such high esteem.

@slacker the hacker: By most people, I'm assuming your just talking about whites, who really wouldn't understand the effects of slavery and how its a reason for the way some blacks act today.

#11 Posted by Xanni15 (5938 posts) - 6 months, 12 days ago - Show Bio

@Jnr6Lil:

If we're focusing on negatives of people then nobody should be held in high esteem because everyone has negatives. I'm not defending slavery because there is no defense to it, but the culture was much, much different back then and he did work to combat it. We don't know how he treated anyone.

#12 Posted by _Punk_ (3341 posts) - 6 months, 12 days ago - Show Bio

@Jnr6Lil: Robert E. Lee thought slavery was evil, but still fought for people's right to have it. Everyone is a hypocrite.
t happened a hundred years ago, every race and people have been slaves at one point. Nobody cares.

#13 Posted by Gambit1024 (9878 posts) - 6 months, 12 days ago - Show Bio

I don't think Lincoln ever said once that he wanted slavery to end.

Not in public. Yes, slave liberation was something he wanted (and it was convenient for votes), but he never said it aloud for a reason.

The US was an entirely different culture back then, and slaves were the norm; not only in just the South, but the North as well. There were many people in the Union that still owned slaves, and they weren't exactly fighting for the ending of slavery. Lincoln's whole thing was about uniting the US, and that was the motivation for the Union: Beat the Confederacy, turn the US whole again. If Lincoln went ahead and said "And after we beat the Confederacy, we're gonna free the slaves!" all those slave owners in the North would've never fought alongside the Union. At least that's what my professor told me (or some version of that. It's been a while.)

As for Thomas Jefferson, he was a terrible person. Behind the curtain, he had many children with one of his own slaves (I can't remember her name for the life of me), and flat out sold them.

#14 Posted by soduh2 (735 posts) - 6 months, 12 days ago - Show Bio

@Jnr6Lil said:

@Xanni15: Shipping all the slaves out of the country really doesn't sound like that bad of a fate
Sure, Lincoln's main goal was preserving the Union, and I don't think he ever said once that he wanted slavery to end. Hell it's been said the main reason he wanted to end slavery was to make, the slaves citizens so they could get him more votes.
But there's a difference in that and straight up owning slaves as Jefferson did.

Lincoln wanted slavery to end but he certainly wasn't an advocate of racial equality (according to his debate speeches). The irony of the "slippery slope" argument.

#15 Posted by slacker the hacker (7615 posts) - 6 months, 12 days ago - Show Bio

@Jnr6Lil said:

@Xanni15 said:
@Jnr6Lil said:
@Xanni15: Can't compare hypocristy to wanting end slavery for the wrong reason. Either way Jefferson still owned slaves.
It was a different culture between the two. I never said Jefferson didn't own slaves, but are you ignoring the positives of Jefferson?
I'm not ignoring the positives, Just saying he's a hypocrite and really shouldn't be hailed in such high esteem.
@slacker the hacker: By most people, I'm assuming your just talking about whites, who really wouldn't understand the effects of slavery and how its a reason for the way some blacks act today.

I ain't talking about just white people. And when I said people not caring I was speaking of Jefferson's hypocristy. I don't think most people care he was hypocrite. Since his postives outweigh his negatives, give the guy a break hes only human and made mistakes just like everyone else. As for the effects of slavery I'm well aware of them. But I'm not white lol. But as for slavery and its effects on black people, I think a large majority of people just don't care. Unfortunately we live in a dog eat dog world.

Sorry if this was a dumb reply. But I'm still a kid so I'm only answering based on everything I know so far in my life.

#16 Posted by Jnr6Lil (6682 posts) - 6 months, 12 days ago - Show Bio

@slacker the hacker: Yeah I'm only a kid too, but I see your point. I just think most people don't know he's a hypocrite.@_Punk_ said:

@Jnr6Lil: Robert E. Lee thought slavery was evil, but still fought for people's right to have it. Everyone is a hypocrite. t happened a hundred years ago, every race and people have been slaves at one point. Nobody cares.

No one cares about the Roman Empire, People still go on about it to this day.

#17 Posted by _Punk_ (3341 posts) - 6 months, 12 days ago - Show Bio

@Jnr6Lil: Not really, not unless it's in fiction.

#18 Posted by Jnr6Lil (6682 posts) - 6 months, 12 days ago - Show Bio

@_Punk_: Nope

#19 Posted by BiteMe-Fanboy (6538 posts) - 6 months, 12 days ago - Show Bio

@Gambit1024 said:

I don't think Lincoln ever said once that he wanted slavery to end.
Not in public. Yes, slave liberation was something he wanted (and it was convenient for votes), but he never said it aloud for a reason.
The US was an entirely different culture back then, and slaves were the norm; not only in just the South, but the North as well. There were many people in the Union that still owned slaves, and they weren't exactly fighting for the ending of slavery. Lincoln's whole thing was about uniting the US, and that was the motivation for the Union: Beat the Confederacy, turn the US whole again. If Lincoln went ahead and said "And after we beat the Confederacy, we're gonna free the slaves!" all those slave owners in the North would've never fought alongside the Union. At least that's what my professor told me (or some version of that. It's been a while.)
As for Thomas Jefferson, he was a terrible person. Behind the curtain, he had many children with one of his own slaves (I can't remember her name for the life of me), and flat out sold them.

Yup.

"If I thought this war was to abolish slavery, I would resign my commission and offer my sword to the other side." Ulysses S. Grant.

#20 Posted by mikethekiller (7033 posts) - 6 months, 12 days ago - Show Bio

@Jnr6Lil said:

What's your opinion on Thomas Jefferson

F**k'em

Online

#21 Edited by BiteMe-Fanboy (6538 posts) - 6 months, 12 days ago - Show Bio

Him owning slaves sucks. But Thomas Jefferson was cool in my book. Why?

1. Authored first draft of Declaration of Independence

2. Commissioned Lewis and Clark expedition

3. Founded University of Virginia

4. Introduced decimal system to America

5, Lousiana Purchase

Yes, him owning slaves is bad, but Thomas Jefferson did a great deal for this country. I respect 'em.