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Words are powerful - Thoughts shape - Ideas have consequences

Sharon Hughes

The Center for Changing Worldviews
Posted August 16, 2004

The John-John Ticket - Richest in History
Talking "plantation" talk

Included in the display of carefully orchestrated talking points on stage at the DNC was John Kerry's and John Edwards' belief in two Americas. "Plantation" talk as my recent guest, Mason Weaver, would call it. You can hear my interview with him online at Oneplace.

The most shameful articulation of the liberal philosophy of "rich, Republican, corporate America" and "poor, the-rest-of-us America" was by Bill Clinton on opening night as he put one of the cleverest spins I've ever seen on his benefiting from the Bush tax cuts. The essence of it was how nice the Republicans had treated him with the tax break he received as one of the top earners in the country (bringing to mind the $10 million he just received for his new book) at the expense of "your" social security. However, one thing he didn't say was that he didn't refuse to take the tax break!

Another thing we didn't hear said, but should be noted, is that while the John-John nominees talk about "rich them" and "poor you", they just happen to be the richest ticket in history to ever run for President/Vice President, with John Edwards' estimated personal worth of $60 million and John Kerry's, if you include Teresa's wealth, at about $500 million, or half a billion. But, then that probably doesn't matter to the democrats because, as Mason says, "the slaves don't care how rich master is, as long as master takes care of them."

Frederick Douglass said, “Slavery has been fruitful in giving itself names. It has been called by a great many names, and it will call itself by yet another name; and you and I and all of us had better wait and see what new form this old monster will assume, in what new skin this old snake will come from next.”

Slavery still exists today, in the form we most think of for instance in southern Sudan where thousands have been tortured, raped, displaced or made into slaves. Controversial "slave "redemption" is one effort used to alleviate the sitution, but many are concerned it only encourages more abuse for the gain of money. It’s a terrible situation and we need to do whatever we can to see an end come to these horrendous human rights violations. Open Doors is one organization on the forefront of this battle.

There also exists the unbelievable abuse of women and children as sex slaves. President Bush has urged aggressive law enforcement to bring an end to human trafficking. "Human life is the gift of our Creator. It should never be for sale," President Bush told a Justice Department conference. He also accused Fidel Castro of exploiting children by encouraging Cuban sex-tourism."The regime in Havana, already one of the worst violators of human rights in the world, is adding to its crimes. The dictator welcomes sex tourism," Bush said.

As many as 17,500 people are brought into the United States every year in human trafficking, subjecting them to slavery-type conditions for things such as sweatshop labor and forced sex. Last year an estimated 800,000 people, the majority of then women, were trafficked across borders around the world.

Finally, as alluded to in the first part of this article, there is the slavery of "welfare mentality", that results in broken families, low self-respect and zero hope of escape. These chains are passed on to generation after generation until there exists little understanding of what the promise of the American dream is.

Another thing Mason Weaver, founder of The New Underground Railroad, said is, “Slavery did in fact take on new names. It became know as 'sharecropping,' 'welfare,' 'projects,' 'public schools,' and 'good intentions.' Frederick Douglass was right, we must keep watch for the new names of slavery, we must also keep watch for the new opportunities of freedom."

We must also keep watch for the rhetoric that promises a future and a hope but in reality is only "plantation" talk.

© Sharon Hughes 2004

Sharon is the President of The Center for Changing Worldviews, and hosts Changing Worldviews TALK Radio which is heard on KDIA AM1640 San Francisco/Vallejo; KGDP AM660 Santa Maria, CA and WITA AM1490 Knoxville, TN, as well as online daily at Oneplace.com. Her column appears on several online news sites including CaliforniaRepublic.org, ChronWatch.com, MichNews.com, NewsBull, NewsWithViews.com, RenewAmerica.us and others. For further information go to www.changingworldviews.com or comment at http://changingworldviews.blogspot.com
Contact sharon@changingworldviews.com