I have no words really to express how DUMB this statement is:
Rep. Trent Frank: (R-AZ) In this country, we had slavery for God knows how long. And now we look back on it and we say "How brave were they? What was the matter with them? You know, I can’t believe, you know, four million slaves. This is incredible." And we’re right, we’re right. We should look back on that with criticism. It is a crushing mark on America’s soul. And yet today, half of all black children are aborted. Half of all black children are aborted. Far more of the African American community is being devastated by the policies of today than were being devastated by the policies of slavery. And I think, What does it take to get us to wake up? (video)
Really Trent? Really?
Did you know that slave women could (and would) have their children just taken away from them? Families were split apart. A child sold here, a husband or wife sold there. On any given day you could be snatched from the street without notice, or sold to another plantation. Black people were chattel, not people. We had no rights. We couldn't walk down the street without a damn pass from our "masters." Blacks in the North who were FREE were stolen and SOLD into slavery because they so-called matched a description of a missing slave.
Black women were regularly raped by their "masters" and abused by their jealous wives, they were forced to "mate" with Black men that they may not have even KNOWN for breeding purposes.
We weren't even allowed to read, we could be PUNISHED for reading. We couldn't even go to school. We had no vote, no voice, and were not even considered a FULL person.
And that's just the people who managed to survive the trip over on the ships where they were packed in like sardines.
And all of this is preferable to abortion (and this is just scratching the surface) and giving a woman the right to choose? And I haven't even started on the EFFECTS of slavery (which are arguably still being felt today) There is no way to justify this remark, but it's going to be fun to watch him, and Michael Steele, try.
If you wanna see the video:
@ 6:22
Update [2010-2-26 17:19:23 by Muzikal203]: He is running for re-election this year, and his opponent does have an ActBlue page if you're interested. His name is John Thrasher and here is his website for more info on him.