Shocker: Slavery is a Conservative Idea

[CartoonDiablo]

Also posted on Daily Kos.

With the recent controversy over Michelle Bachmann signing the the anti-marriage equality pledge that talked about slavery, I think it's worth pointing out that the idea of preserving slavery is inherently conservative.

Now I'm not saying conservatives want to reinstate slavery but it's a basic axiom that being conservative means you want to "conserve" something, and the more conservative someone is the more likely they conserve archaic institutions like segregation and slavery.

Recently I got into an argument about this and found a New York Times editorial from 1860 which actually lays out this argument and decries how conservatives tried to defend slavery:

It is a curious phenomenon of our own day and nation that all opinions favorable to Slavery should be regarded as "conservative" and "practical," while those opposed to it should be stigmatized as the "utopian" and "theoretical" excesses of a "false philanthropy," and their expression denounced by the application to it of that dread political ban-word, "agitation." The advocates of Slavery seem to be aiming to combine in defence of their cause all the calm and solid dignity of recognized opinions with the fierce impetuosity of a new-found propaganda.

- New York Times, "The Irrepressible Conflict.", 1860

The editorial attacks the "propaganda" that slavery is "'the normal condition of society'" and should thus be preserved by conservatives. It's also striking to see the red-baiting that existed in the 1800s with the "political ban-word, 'agitation.'"

My guess is conservatives know this full well and have been drilling obscure counter arguments into peoples heads like how progressives want to create "Slavery To Government, Welfare," which not only isn't true (and requires you to jump through a bunch of mental hoops) but ignores how it was literally a "conservative" notion to want to keep slavery.

In order to win the argument we need to stop kowtowing to a new kind of "Political" political correctness and propaganda and say what are basic, elementary truths.

This can also be seen on my blog

[OHdem10]

1. Cheap Labor.

[fascisthunter]

2. sociopaths way of making money off others' backs

without having to pay that person one penny.

[MisterP]

3. handy links!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire-eaters
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DeBow%27s_Review

[Syntheto]

4. You're actually...

...posting links to an article from 1860 to somehow tie today's political landscape to the Antebellum United States? Wow. Just Wow. You should change your name to 'Stretch.' Bachmann's a joke, just like Romney. Anybody else notice how they're holding Hermann Cain back? He's the freaking candidate, but nobody wants to talk about him at all. The Party stalwarts better start nailing his ass to the cross and now.

[provis99]

5. what, are you on crack?

[CartoonDiablo]

6. Last time I checked the general definition for "conservative"

hasn't changed for over 200 years, it means to preserve tradition and thus is inherently pro-slavery. It's done to counter the claim that "liberals want slavery" that we hear on the airwaves 24/7.

[midnight]

7. And the private legislation created to continue this brand of slavery

is alive and well via ALEC.... http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=ALEC_Politicians