I wrote and sent a letter to the editor of the WSJ last night about this disingenuous flap about a single sentence in a 300 page curriculum on slavery co authored by black scholars. It probably won't be printed because what I wrote is pretty snarky.
That said, this VP seems to be identifying as a fellow victim. However poorly phrased, the point of the offending sentence holds up on every metric. If you're doing all the work planting and harvesting crops, tanning leather, doing the forging, keeping the horses properly shod, cooking and managing a plantation, etc., you've picked up some skills no one can take from you. This person has diminished everything about the office she so undeservedly holds and she keeps making it worse. Has she no shame?
Here's what I wrote since you probably won't see it published:
The growing horror of child sex slavery in America today seems of no interest to media or the current administration. Why is that?
VP Harris seems so deeply concerned about a single poorly worded sentence in a 300 page Florida curriculum on slavery which was co authored by black scholars who strenuously disagree with her assessment of the sentence in question.
Sadly, I am reminded that in 2018 Harris’ Jamaican father, now a retired Stanford professor, inconveniently wrote he was “…descendent of Hamilton Brown who is on record as a plantation and slave owner.” On July 2, 2019 Dan MacGuill wrote an article for Snopes on the matter and concluded there was a missing link that undermined Harris’ own father’s assertion.
Perhaps it’s time for Mr. MacGuill to revisit and clear up the question of VP Harris’ personal connection to this ugly stain in America’s history. Knowing for certain might energize her to actually do something about the very real and current horror of child slavery in America today.
The Left hates the thought of real, three dimensional people because they are capable of real thriving and independence. They are capable of not being wards of the State. They are capable of thinking and doing for themselves. Very dangerous.
The Left sees the nonsense supported by the Right. The argument is not about independent thought of enslaved people. The argument is about a blatant attempt by the Right to indoctrinate children. Prager U is allowed in FL schools. The snippet on Frederick Douglass includes a statement that the United States was the first country to abolish slavery. That statement is a lie. Conservatives are supporting the Lost Cause. They have been caught and try to avoid reality.
Florida appears to be having problems filling teaching slots. We will see how the school year progresses under authoritarian rule. I , for one, am glad that Conservatives want to support DeSantis and bastardized history.
All education is indoctrination. The question has always been: will it be with truth (Truth) or error. Florida is making a move toward truth. A classical education has always been about how to think and much less about what to think. This leads to freedom within the constraints of truth.
Let us see what is actually taught in the classroom p. DeSantis flew immigrants to other states in an act of cruelty. He is not worthy of trust. I await the results of his so-called guidelines.
Edit to add:
How can you trust the guidelines to be upheld when the department of education put out inaccurate information about enslaved people who gained skills during slavery?
The allow Prager U access to children , but Pragers lies by telling children that the United States was the first country to abolish slavery.
The aFL department of of education is packed with liars or inept people. They are not worthy of trust.
I ran the entire curriculum by a distinguished black historian who is a friend. Not a "conservative" by the way. It was a private communication, so I am not giving his name here. Not only did he see no problem with the offending phrase, and not only was he impressed by how much was covered--he also looked through the REST of the history curriculum and was very pleased and surprised to see much of African American history conveyed in the OTHER history sections too. As he has long believed it should be. I commented on this on your earlier piece Glenn, but it bears repeating because it was buried in the comments. I have not seen this reported by anybody, and you should be aware of it if you didn't read the entire document either (I didn't!). African American history is American history and not all of it should be siloed.
These types of informed comments are going to have me subscribing to your 'Stack, Elizabeth Hummel! More seriously, I could not agree more with the general sentiment that Black History is PART of American History, not some special category. I understand the initial thrust to get it recognized and appreciated, which led to the "movement" to teach it as an adjunct. However, at some point, it should be acknowledged and taught amid all the rest. Dare I say, "one nation..."
Thank you "the Wiltster"! My Substack is mostly my music and writing about my music and videos of my music, which you will either be into or not, but you're welcome to check it out and see if it's your cuppa tea! I do tread into contentious topics like race and gender now and again, but it's not my main thing, and people who want that continual flaming up will leave. We need beauty in our lives, and for me, that's making music. I always come at from the perspective of an artist, even when I do state my sometimes heterodox views. Part of being an artist, for me, is speaking truth to power. What bugs me about this whole Florida kerfuffle is that the MSM has not spoken truth. How can we ever be "one nation" again if we don't start telling the truth?
It will be interesting to observe the Conservative response to the “brawl” in Alabama. If history is a guide, there will be some fault found with Black people coming the aid of a Black man. I’m sure Fox and other Conservative outlets will opine.
Imagine bringing up who sold the slaves to westerners in the first place. That will quadrangle the woke's head. They likely believe white people stormed the beaches of West Africa and ripped babies from mothers arms.
This is the problem with this Marxist ideology, this oppressed and oppressor view of the world, this delineation of race as the governing factor in social affairs.
It renders the believer incapable of viewing reality and history and society as it is, rather it is broken down into a simple equation that relies quite heavily on scapegoat politics.
The world is complex, but many people are simple, they want a pill to fix everything, not a new routine that is healthy.
So you know slavery has been going on from the beginning of recorded history? That in the last couple of millenia Arab Muslims were leading the charge? That Africans were gathering and selling their fellow Africans? That only a fraction of the African souls were sold in the colonies - not yet America? That there were Africans on our continent who were themselves slave owners? That children are enslaved for sex in America TODAY but the media, this administration and the wokey wokes have show NO INTEREST in this travesty? Need I go on? I've had quite enough of disingenuous wokeness.
Your comment is so discombobulated I can not tell what your point is, outside of irrational assumptions, oddball questions and the typical scoffing that comes with the socially illiterate, I have no clue what you are trying to get across, other than purposefully embarrass yourself.
Trying to justify enslavement seems a sorry hill to die on. I want my child taught that slavery is wrong no matter the enslaver. I also want them to know the enslaved fought back..
From Howard French
It is often remarked that Africans themselves sold enslaved people to Europeans. What is less well known is that in many parts of Africa, such as the Kingdom of Kongo and Benin, Africans fought to end the trade in human beings once they understood its full impact on their own societies. Enslaved people resisted in numerous shipboard revolts, or by simply taking their own lives at sea rather than submit to bondage.
The messenger matters. Ron DeSantis is not trustworthy. Glenn and John are in a bubble. We will see how the course is actually taught. Nothing in the prior actions of Ron DeSantisgives any comfort. A lecture about how people should respond to the Florida curriculum is insulting. I want Conservatives to continue to support the FL department of education.
DeSantis just removed a Black female state attorney in an area that had an 18% decrease in crime. Kamala is smiling because DeSantis is proving her overall point. DeSantis and Trump will drive Democrats out to the polls.
Kamala Harris' giggling and word salad idiocy is embarrassing. She is not a serious person and needs to cover up all she has NOT accomplished by keeping the victim mindset crowd in a continuous flap
Anita Hill related during her Senate Judiciary Committee hearing that Clarence Thomas excitedly talked about his ding-dong with her in the office building they shared.
As SF resident- I owe an apology to USA. Sorry folks, SF always exports it’s worst to higher office beyond, whether Newsom or Harris.
As Loury/McWhorter demonstrated, there is much to explore in any historical topic including slavery. I am curious about slavery as a national security risk. If an invasion along the southern USA border - including the coastal border in any year prior to 1865, one really could not logically expect slaves to defend with enthusiasm. Curious if England, France or Spain toyed with that possibility. Curious if northerners worried.
I am also curious about unintended consequences of privilege during slavery era. Did slaves incidentally avoid any lifestyle harm that non-slaved became vulnerable to? History is a rich mine with so much potential for learning. Tragic how the woke are denying society such potential enrichment.
I get where you're coming from, gentlemen. But both of you know it's not that simple. Want proof?
Glenn, if you're gonna assume that level of deceit in VP Kamala, will you please do the same with Tim Scott and Byron Donalds? They both chimed in on this issue in a similar way. Does that make them demagogues?
I think it's the nature of US politics in 2023. Let us not forget it used to be a helluva lot worse.
John's strongest point, I believe, was the ratio: i.e., one line out of 190-something. Excellent point, BUT...
This kind of thing happens all of the time, guys. It is almost always the scandalous / controversial line that screams and endures. When has that NOT been true?
Remember when Jessie Jackson said "Hy---town"? What else did he say in that speech? Anybody know? Me either. What was The Bell Curve about? I honestly never read it. But apparently it touched on many other subjects than the one it's notorious for.
Welcome to America.
Last point: "Card-carrying conservative Black Republican".
For some people, the above phrase raises just as many eyebrows as "African-American Studies Department" does with others.
More info about Mr. Allen would help. What KIND of "card-carrying conservative Black Republican"? Candace Owens or Condoleezza Rice? Jessie Lee Peterson or Michael Steele?
In my view, it was a strange (and clumsily worded) entry to place in the *guidelines* of a public school curriculum that could potentially include 7th-graders. That doesn't mean that I am maniacally against teaching the full scope of history. That's an immature accusation.
Politicians posing for points. Shocked! Glenn has it exactly on-point. Vice President Harris was practicing demagoguery, plain of simple. Arguing against historical facts is a wonderful way to derail substantive discussions. Quoting McWhorter from the video, "The document is so effective at communicating the horrors of slavery that I am surprised Ron DeSantis would endorse it." That is beyond classic! I am no lover of any politician, including DeSantis, so I endorse that cheap shot. Kudos!
She is VP. He is an authoritarian governor. No need to elevate him as he runs to be President. A debate with Governor Newsom will suffice. Never fight the battle where your enemy sets all the rules.
I wrote and sent a letter to the editor of the WSJ last night about this disingenuous flap about a single sentence in a 300 page curriculum on slavery co authored by black scholars. It probably won't be printed because what I wrote is pretty snarky.
That said, this VP seems to be identifying as a fellow victim. However poorly phrased, the point of the offending sentence holds up on every metric. If you're doing all the work planting and harvesting crops, tanning leather, doing the forging, keeping the horses properly shod, cooking and managing a plantation, etc., you've picked up some skills no one can take from you. This person has diminished everything about the office she so undeservedly holds and she keeps making it worse. Has she no shame?
Here's what I wrote since you probably won't see it published:
The growing horror of child sex slavery in America today seems of no interest to media or the current administration. Why is that?
VP Harris seems so deeply concerned about a single poorly worded sentence in a 300 page Florida curriculum on slavery which was co authored by black scholars who strenuously disagree with her assessment of the sentence in question.
Sadly, I am reminded that in 2018 Harris’ Jamaican father, now a retired Stanford professor, inconveniently wrote he was “…descendent of Hamilton Brown who is on record as a plantation and slave owner.” On July 2, 2019 Dan MacGuill wrote an article for Snopes on the matter and concluded there was a missing link that undermined Harris’ own father’s assertion.
Perhaps it’s time for Mr. MacGuill to revisit and clear up the question of VP Harris’ personal connection to this ugly stain in America’s history. Knowing for certain might energize her to actually do something about the very real and current horror of child slavery in America today.
The Left hates the thought of real, three dimensional people because they are capable of real thriving and independence. They are capable of not being wards of the State. They are capable of thinking and doing for themselves. Very dangerous.
The Left sees the nonsense supported by the Right. The argument is not about independent thought of enslaved people. The argument is about a blatant attempt by the Right to indoctrinate children. Prager U is allowed in FL schools. The snippet on Frederick Douglass includes a statement that the United States was the first country to abolish slavery. That statement is a lie. Conservatives are supporting the Lost Cause. They have been caught and try to avoid reality.
Florida appears to be having problems filling teaching slots. We will see how the school year progresses under authoritarian rule. I , for one, am glad that Conservatives want to support DeSantis and bastardized history.
All education is indoctrination. The question has always been: will it be with truth (Truth) or error. Florida is making a move toward truth. A classical education has always been about how to think and much less about what to think. This leads to freedom within the constraints of truth.
Let us see what is actually taught in the classroom p. DeSantis flew immigrants to other states in an act of cruelty. He is not worthy of trust. I await the results of his so-called guidelines.
Edit to add:
How can you trust the guidelines to be upheld when the department of education put out inaccurate information about enslaved people who gained skills during slavery?
The allow Prager U access to children , but Pragers lies by telling children that the United States was the first country to abolish slavery.
The aFL department of of education is packed with liars or inept people. They are not worthy of trust.
I ran the entire curriculum by a distinguished black historian who is a friend. Not a "conservative" by the way. It was a private communication, so I am not giving his name here. Not only did he see no problem with the offending phrase, and not only was he impressed by how much was covered--he also looked through the REST of the history curriculum and was very pleased and surprised to see much of African American history conveyed in the OTHER history sections too. As he has long believed it should be. I commented on this on your earlier piece Glenn, but it bears repeating because it was buried in the comments. I have not seen this reported by anybody, and you should be aware of it if you didn't read the entire document either (I didn't!). African American history is American history and not all of it should be siloed.
These types of informed comments are going to have me subscribing to your 'Stack, Elizabeth Hummel! More seriously, I could not agree more with the general sentiment that Black History is PART of American History, not some special category. I understand the initial thrust to get it recognized and appreciated, which led to the "movement" to teach it as an adjunct. However, at some point, it should be acknowledged and taught amid all the rest. Dare I say, "one nation..."
Thank you "the Wiltster"! My Substack is mostly my music and writing about my music and videos of my music, which you will either be into or not, but you're welcome to check it out and see if it's your cuppa tea! I do tread into contentious topics like race and gender now and again, but it's not my main thing, and people who want that continual flaming up will leave. We need beauty in our lives, and for me, that's making music. I always come at from the perspective of an artist, even when I do state my sometimes heterodox views. Part of being an artist, for me, is speaking truth to power. What bugs me about this whole Florida kerfuffle is that the MSM has not spoken truth. How can we ever be "one nation" again if we don't start telling the truth?
"We need beauty in our lives..." Truer words seldom spoken! The MSM almost never speaks truth. 'Tis too boring, I reckon!
I bet you're married to a white woman who's ultra-rightwing conservative like Ginny Thomas, the woman who worked for the racist John Birch Society.
It will be interesting to observe the Conservative response to the “brawl” in Alabama. If history is a guide, there will be some fault found with Black people coming the aid of a Black man. I’m sure Fox and other Conservative outlets will opine.
I've seen memes on FB: "Not happening in a small town." 😂☺️🤣
❤️
Imagine bringing up who sold the slaves to westerners in the first place. That will quadrangle the woke's head. They likely believe white people stormed the beaches of West Africa and ripped babies from mothers arms.
This is the problem with this Marxist ideology, this oppressed and oppressor view of the world, this delineation of race as the governing factor in social affairs.
It renders the believer incapable of viewing reality and history and society as it is, rather it is broken down into a simple equation that relies quite heavily on scapegoat politics.
The world is complex, but many people are simple, they want a pill to fix everything, not a new routine that is healthy.
Sorry to disappoint you. Woke people know about slavery in Africa.
The Civil War was fought to maintain the Union, not to free the enslaved.
Have you read Barracoon by Zora Neal Hurston or see the movie “Warrior King”?
Conservative arrogance is hilarious.
Edit to add:
Ever hear of the female warriors of Dahomey?
So you know slavery has been going on from the beginning of recorded history? That in the last couple of millenia Arab Muslims were leading the charge? That Africans were gathering and selling their fellow Africans? That only a fraction of the African souls were sold in the colonies - not yet America? That there were Africans on our continent who were themselves slave owners? That children are enslaved for sex in America TODAY but the media, this administration and the wokey wokes have show NO INTEREST in this travesty? Need I go on? I've had quite enough of disingenuous wokeness.
I know the founders said that the United States would be where all men were equal even as they allowed slavery.
Ugh, what a painfully simplistic take.
Sorry to rekindle, but, ouch, this hurts. Yikes!
The original sin.
Define?
Your comment is so discombobulated I can not tell what your point is, outside of irrational assumptions, oddball questions and the typical scoffing that comes with the socially illiterate, I have no clue what you are trying to get across, other than purposefully embarrass yourself.
The point is no one forced the colonists to purchase the slaves.
No one forced Africans to sell Africans into slavery either and yet it happened. Do you have any other "point"?
No, my point is made. Whites of the civilized world had the same morals as the Africans. Colonists burned women alive.
One might even say slavery is an historic norm. Kudos to White Americans for ending it.
You think he is socially illiterate. I want a definition of terms
You are hilarious. Your words only make sense to a Conservative audience full of apologists for slavery.
Peace Out
Trying to justify enslavement seems a sorry hill to die on. I want my child taught that slavery is wrong no matter the enslaver. I also want them to know the enslaved fought back..
From Howard French
It is often remarked that Africans themselves sold enslaved people to Europeans. What is less well known is that in many parts of Africa, such as the Kingdom of Kongo and Benin, Africans fought to end the trade in human beings once they understood its full impact on their own societies. Enslaved people resisted in numerous shipboard revolts, or by simply taking their own lives at sea rather than submit to bondage.
https://www.theguardian.com/news/2021/oct/12/africa-slaves-erased-from-history-modern-world#:~:text=It%20is%20often%20remarked%20that,impact%20on%20their%20own%20societies.
The messenger matters. Ron DeSantis is not trustworthy. Glenn and John are in a bubble. We will see how the course is actually taught. Nothing in the prior actions of Ron DeSantisgives any comfort. A lecture about how people should respond to the Florida curriculum is insulting. I want Conservatives to continue to support the FL department of education.
DeSantis just removed a Black female state attorney in an area that had an 18% decrease in crime. Kamala is smiling because DeSantis is proving her overall point. DeSantis and Trump will drive Democrats out to the polls.
Kamala Harris' giggling and word salad idiocy is embarrassing. She is not a serious person and needs to cover up all she has NOT accomplished by keeping the victim mindset crowd in a continuous flap
Anita Hill related during her Senate Judiciary Committee hearing that Clarence Thomas excitedly talked about his ding-dong with her in the office building they shared.
Ginny is giggling on Clarence Thomas' ding-dong. 🤡🤡🤡🤡
As SF resident- I owe an apology to USA. Sorry folks, SF always exports it’s worst to higher office beyond, whether Newsom or Harris.
As Loury/McWhorter demonstrated, there is much to explore in any historical topic including slavery. I am curious about slavery as a national security risk. If an invasion along the southern USA border - including the coastal border in any year prior to 1865, one really could not logically expect slaves to defend with enthusiasm. Curious if England, France or Spain toyed with that possibility. Curious if northerners worried.
I am also curious about unintended consequences of privilege during slavery era. Did slaves incidentally avoid any lifestyle harm that non-slaved became vulnerable to? History is a rich mine with so much potential for learning. Tragic how the woke are denying society such potential enrichment.
I get where you're coming from, gentlemen. But both of you know it's not that simple. Want proof?
Glenn, if you're gonna assume that level of deceit in VP Kamala, will you please do the same with Tim Scott and Byron Donalds? They both chimed in on this issue in a similar way. Does that make them demagogues?
I think it's the nature of US politics in 2023. Let us not forget it used to be a helluva lot worse.
John's strongest point, I believe, was the ratio: i.e., one line out of 190-something. Excellent point, BUT...
This kind of thing happens all of the time, guys. It is almost always the scandalous / controversial line that screams and endures. When has that NOT been true?
Remember when Jessie Jackson said "Hy---town"? What else did he say in that speech? Anybody know? Me either. What was The Bell Curve about? I honestly never read it. But apparently it touched on many other subjects than the one it's notorious for.
Welcome to America.
Last point: "Card-carrying conservative Black Republican".
For some people, the above phrase raises just as many eyebrows as "African-American Studies Department" does with others.
More info about Mr. Allen would help. What KIND of "card-carrying conservative Black Republican"? Candace Owens or Condoleezza Rice? Jessie Lee Peterson or Michael Steele?
In my view, it was a strange (and clumsily worded) entry to place in the *guidelines* of a public school curriculum that could potentially include 7th-graders. That doesn't mean that I am maniacally against teaching the full scope of history. That's an immature accusation.
Politicians posing for points. Shocked! Glenn has it exactly on-point. Vice President Harris was practicing demagoguery, plain of simple. Arguing against historical facts is a wonderful way to derail substantive discussions. Quoting McWhorter from the video, "The document is so effective at communicating the horrors of slavery that I am surprised Ron DeSantis would endorse it." That is beyond classic! I am no lover of any politician, including DeSantis, so I endorse that cheap shot. Kudos!
Contrary to legacy media opinion, conservatives are not afraid of real history.
The notion that Kamala Harris was too busy is laughable, at best. The truth used to be the ultimate defense.
She is VP. He is an authoritarian governor. No need to elevate him as he runs to be President. A debate with Governor Newsom will suffice. Never fight the battle where your enemy sets all the rules.