US housing boss Ben Carson calls US slaves 'immigrants'
71 replies, posted
[QUOTE=Mr_Razzums;51926860]I don't know what he was thinking but I can say with he probably knows that slaves were involuntary brought to the states. He's not preaching slavery denial, he made a poor word choice.[/QUOTE]
Who said he was denying the existence of slavery?
[QUOTE=Mr_Razzums;51926698]Getting triggered over semantics give me a fucking break.[/QUOTE]
It's good to get triggered over semantics, because the thing is is that semantics actually matter.
When you call slavery "immigration", you wipe it clean of all of the imagery and ideas that are associated with slavery - violence, coercion, degradation, dehumanization, and replace them with all the imagery and ideas that are associated with immigration - economic opportunity, ambition, building a new life, etc. This is pretty clearly what Ben Carson is doing because he talks about black slaves coming here to realize the American Dream as if they're analogous to any other wave of immigrants in history.
It's whitewashing, and it's disgusting.
[QUOTE=Hamaflavian;51926903]It's good to get triggered over semantics, because the thing is is that semantics actually matter.
[B]When you call slavery "immigration", you wipe it clean of all of the imagery and ideas that are associated with slavery - violence, coercion, degradation, dehumanization, and replace them with all the imagery and ideas that are associated with immigration - economic opportunity, ambition, building a new life, etc.[/B] This is pretty clearly what Ben Carson is doing because he talks about black slaves coming here to realize the American Dream as if they're analogous to any other wave of immigrants in history.
It's whitewashing, and it's disgusting.[/QUOTE]
Pretty much what I've been trying to say but a lot more concise and effective, thanks.
[QUOTE=sannys;51926096]Imported slaves are immigrants.[/QUOTE]
[img]http://media.brainz.org/uploads/2010/03/propaganda/Anti-Jap5.png[/img] [img]http://historymatters.gmu.edu/mpimages/mp8332.jpg[/img]
These images fit the literal definition of "Propaganda"
[img]https://img.clipartfest.com/bda43b9940a99b95edeb5189b06580a8_-please-clean-up-after-your-please-clean-up-after-your-dog-clipart_299-300.jpeg[/img]
This image also fits the literal definition of "propaganda"
All "propaganda" means is to spread information that harms or supports an ideology, nation, etc. Yet, you'd have to be an utter moron to say the second example carries all the implications people have come to associate with the word. The way the word is [I]actually[/I] used, in all but the most extremely niche discussions, only applies to the first.
Likewise, while the meaning of the word "immigrant" [I]technically[/I] applies to slaves, that usage most certainly doesn't bring to mind the voluntary movement between spaces in search of a better life that people associate with immigrating. By associating the very antithesis of freedom with a word that implies deliberate movement, Ben Carson is downplaying one of the most heinous practices to ever come out of American history. Even if you disregard the questionable morality of the statement, Carson still comes off as horribly out-of-touch with reality and context, and as an absolute fucking idiot
[QUOTE=Raidyr;51926192]People being imported to a country under chattel slavery are to immigrants what forced labor prisoners are to employees.
[editline]7th March 2017[/editline]
It's technically true but contextually nonsense, which is why the only places you will find slaves being described as immigrants is in Texas history textbooks, or from conservatives. The idea of an "involuntary immigrant" to describe a slave is as laughable as describing a prisoner as an "involuntary house guest".[/QUOTE]
It sure is a PC term for it to originate from a typically anti-PC culture, isn't it?
[QUOTE=Sonador;51926807]It's absolutely a shitpost, wonder what's taking Pascall so long[/QUOTE]
mods don't ban you anymore if you shitpost while wearing a MAGA hat because then it's a "differing opinion"
lol u triggered librul? baby rage??
[editline]7th March 2017[/editline]
hezzy didn't die for this
[QUOTE=Pascall;51926802]It's not that the word "immigrated" is degrading, it's that it's downplaying what actually happened? Regardless if the term is technically and semantically true or not.
[B]They were absolutely [I]imported[/I] and to forget that they were [I]imported[/I] as [I]property[/I] is incredibly asinine.[/B][/QUOTE]
This. From Merriam Webster:
[quote]
Definition of slave
1
: a person held in servitude as the chattel of another
2
: one that is completely subservient to a dominating influence[/quote]
Acting as if slaves were merely "immigrants" is one of the most illogical and absurd things I've heard in awhile. As a historian, it disgusts me.
It's Ben Carson. I wouldn't be surprised if he chose the words because he's incredibly religious and wants to be a part of the biblical struggle the Jews faced so he's likening the slavery of africans to the story of the jews
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