Skip to main content

Slaves

Today’s post is a very touchy subject but one that has been on my mind for a while, and I feel I need to write about it. I also need your help in understanding the logic behind it, because I do not get it.

Recently, as I often do, I had the television on for some background noise. I stray from national news and often even local news unless they are discussing the weather. This day I was not paying attention and had NBC Nightly News on with Lester Holt. The story that came on not only shocked me, but had me questioning the point of the story.

Our country, unfortunately, has a brutal past with slavery. Though the United States is not the worst country (by numbers), I feel even one slave is too many. Burma, Japan, Pakistan, India, and many other countries had greater numbers of slaves than ever held in the United States, but that is not the point here.

I would really like you to pause and watch this piece I am about to talk about. Click HERE!

After watching the story, again I recognize that slavery is and was bad, but what is the purpose of this story? Can anyone explain that to me?

I am responsible for myself. I have no control over what my parents did, my grandparents did, or anyone else in my family. Everyone else who lived a life can say the same thing. If a family member, for example, kills someone, they don’t arrest me.

This story mentions every President has had slaves owned by their family. That 100 Congress people also had slaves owned somewhere in their family lineage. This is a fact discovered by Reuters, but again, what is the point with this story? The past cannot be changed, and all the people above do not own slaves now, so why open an old wound?

This is one of the many reasons I hate the media. They spread lies (this story might have facts), opinions are swayed, and they force influence upon the viewers. We live in a turbulent time, where the smallest spark can set people off. History is important as well, but I do not see any point at all in the story. None.

If you have not watched the story, please click on the link above and tell me if you can, what is the purpose of the story, because I don’t get it.

Until next time,

Tim

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

A gift from a friend

Photo by: Tim Bindner Photography Recently I received a gift from a friend.  It was unexpected but it meant so much.  A simple gesture, an act of kindness, a show of love and friendship. I met Miranda via Instagram based on a recommendation from my buddy Mark.  Like most things, he recommends I seriously consider and highly respect his suggestions.  This was true to form.  I began following Miranda on Instagram, Facebook and even viewing her website.  I stuck up a few online conversations and got the nerve to ask her for an interview.  I wrote about that here . Eventually, text and online correspondence led to a few phone calls.  I admired her work and even discussed creating a book of my own and she admitted wanting to do one as well.  Specifically, I saw two pictures that I loved.  My passion for nature, especially trees is well known.  When I saw this photo (single tree) I was floored.  I even asked her if I could buy a copy.  Nothing really came of that.  I then saw another photo ...

Martin-Hogan-Long Cemetery

Photo by: Tim Bindner Today’s journey was to a seldom visited cemetery call Martin-Hogan-Long Cemetery (N38°06.621 W86°14.238). It is in Harrison-Crawford State Forest, but by the looks of the road to get there, few have traveled this way, or at least not traveled there in a long while. The bright sun made the 30° temperature feel warmer than it was. Something I would soon discover upon entering the thicker part of the forest ahead. Today’s hike was one mile one way, and I had a friend named Amanda join me upon this adventure. After grabbing our gear, we scurried around the locked gate at the end of a gravel road. By crossing the gate, we moved from a public road to the State Forest property. I was armed with a GPS and printed map showing “ overgrown, barely discernable fire lanes ” as given to me by my contact, a local Indiana DNR–Division of Forestry Resource Specialist. Amanda and I made our way downhill on the fire lane that quickly changed pitch and had us g...

Over Think?

Photo by: Mark Wilcoxson Last Friday I met with my Psychologist and as usual we had a great conversation about what things were troubling me as well as the things that were going great. One such topic I plan to discuss here. After a very emotional week for me, I discussed the three main impacts this past week held for me. While discussing the details with her, I mentioned two specific conversations I had recently. I was told by some “friends” that I am an over thinker. During our conversation, I provided the detail and the label I was given. She disagreed with that statement and diagnosis. As she described it (or I interpreted it) an over thinker is someone who harbors on a subject to where it affects them so much that it debilitates them. They will focus on a particular subject or issue and that exercise will affect other areas of their life. They may change their behavior, actions or lives because of it. She said if anything I ruminate. The definition of ruminate is ‘think deeply abo...