I think Obama should invite the entire GOP over to the WH for a screening of "12 Years a Slave" [View all]

[politicaljunkie41910]

It should be required viewing for all members of Congress. So now we know that it wasn't just blacks brought over from Africa who were enslaved, but free black men and women were kidnapped from northern states and placed on ships and sold into slavery in the south. It also reminded me of the fact that the racists southerns like to talk about how they want their country back and that their ancestors built this country, when the truth is that this nation was built on the backs of blacks and whites, and chinese, etc etc alike. One thing remains however, and that is, mans inhumanity to man continues today. In order for one man to be able to inflict such demeaning and brutalistic punishment on another, you have to first convince yourself that those other people are not your equal. They are less human than you are. They are beneath you.

So I think this movie should be required viewing for all elected members of any office in any state. You can't fix what's wrong with America if you don't acknowledge your past transgressions and the impact that they have had and continue to have on people's lives. And before people start telling me that they never owned any slaves, or enslaved anyone, keep in mind that even though Lincoln freed the slaves, this nation didn't pass the Civil Rights Act until 1964, a hundred years later. In our modern age we have had unequal enforcement of laws which have rendered 1/3 of black men, felons. Even today, we have unequal financing of our public school systems which ensures that separate will never be equal. And Republican governors are scurrying to pass laws making it more difficult to exercise the right to vote.

So before congress adjourns for the year (in light of the fact that they have no agenda, this could happen much sooner that we expect) I'd like to recommend dinner and a movie.