Seeking Refuge

The short story written by Paul Laurence Dunbar, in the early 19^th century, “The lynching of Jube Benson” was about an African American male servant that was wrongly accused of raping and murdering of a young causation female. The young lady by the name of Annie was in fact in an adultery relationship with a gentleman by the name of Dr.Melville. Dr.Melville explains his relationship with Jube, "He was a fellow whom everybody trusted; an apparently steady-going, grinning sort, as we used to call him. Well, he was completely under Miss Annie's thumb, and would fetch and carry for her like a faithful dog. As soon as he saw that I began to care for Annie, and anybody could see that, he transferred some of his allegiance to me and became my faithful servitor also.” Jube Benson seemed to be seeking refuge with this kind hearted innocent young girl and the others he helped. He probably assumed that maybe through his kind deeds the people he helped may in turn help him. Unfortunately for Jube Annie’s dying word was “black”. Everyone including Dr.Melville then assumed that it must have been Jube Benson considering he was the only black man she was ever seen with. The young black man Jube Benson was then lynched as if no one had owed him anything accept for the presence at his lynching. The town later found out that the cause of Annie’s death was a white man by the name of Tom Skinner.  Plainly put, this story is a reflection on the cruel and inhuman practices of primitive civilizations. In my opinion I believe that the reasons for the violence that was depicted in this story derives from the governance and culture that influences greed and immoral behavior.                

Cherokee Indian's Legacy

The Short film, ”The trail of tears 1830s” starts during the post Declaration of Independence. Settlers came from Britain come to north and Central America and kicked the Indians out of their homes.  President Andrew Jackson himself stole land at gunpoint from the Indians.

            The Indians were given an opportunity to learn and take on Christian cultures.  This did them no good because of deadly European diseases. Those who survived made it to the American Revolution where the one place where Cherokee Indians were maintaining a Christian lifestyle was burned to the ground.  Two hundred fifty thousand Indians died, equaling to 85 tribes.

            The last survivors negotiated for peace.  The negotiation led to the conclusion that, Indians by laws of nature allowed Indians to keep their land.  The Indians began to adapt again and become more civilized.  This time they were able to own their own slaves and farm cotton.  Just like the white persons, Cherokee woman also were to do he same as female white persons.

            Over time lower class settlers began to get upset at the fact that Indians could earn more than they could.  The lower class settlers then became a threat to the civilized Indians.  Mercenaries and government then influenced the Indians to move away for their own safety.  The Indians did just that.

            Education and Christianization had been important to them now this would allow them to better communicate with the crazy white persons.  Cherokees began to come up with their own written language after they got a  little education.  Later the mercenaries began to manipulate the new language adding Christianity to them.  The Government then promised the Indians that with an education they would then be able to compete with them.  The Indians took advantage of this opportunity.  Indian’s that would gain wealth after becoming civilized and gaining an education were still not considered white.  This was understood after these rich Indian men would try to marry white female settlers.

            The wealth of the Indians grew after the government passed a law stating that Tribal lands could not be sold with out authority. The Gold rush suddenly presented a unique opportunity to pass another law, which announced that Indian’s could not dig for gold, even though they are the ones who discovered it. President Andrew Jackson was elected and he was eager to get piece of the new wealth on that Indian soil. Profitable genocide had accord.

The new President passes an act called The Indian Removal Act, which explains itself. President Jackson’s justification for the removal of the Indians was the fact that they were in danger if they stay on their homeland. The Indians learned something new about a law that requires permission from the United States of America’s Government, not just one state like Georgia. This Law was discussed during the case of Worcester v. Georgia.  The President decides that there was no need for the Judicial branch of Federal Government any longer.

What had happened to the Indians in the 1830’s seems a little similar to what seems to be happening now in 2010’s. The federal government dismisses the constitution. The judicial system is a some times ignored like, the NDAA law that was passed by the president, which allows American’s to be indefinitely imprisoned without trial or jury. It is nice to know that things are progressing in someway or another.   

Return of the Death Camp

Scientific Racism: Eugenics

In the video called Scientific Slavery it explained that the remains of thousands of Africans that were massacred in the world’s first death camp reemerged from the sands of Africa’s Namib dessert. These remains reveal over a hundred year old events that were purposely untold in colonial history. These forgotten slaughters took place not only in Africa’s Namib dessert but also all over the world. This was due to the very influential scientists, philosophers, and writers of the British Empire.

In 1803 the British begin to settle in Tasmania. When the settlers get there they noticed that there are people living there already. These Tasmanian people, also known as Aboriginals seemed not to have a real culture to the new settlers, which deemed them as primitive. The settler’s thoughts that were influenced under British rule, believed that the aboriginals were considered lesser men, in other words animals. With this perspective the settlers justified the mistreatment of these people and took their natural resources as well.

British government and influential characters created a perception in the masses minds that allowed them to believe that their religion could justify slavery and the abuse of what those considered lesser men. If that was not enough justification, then they believed Eugenics proved it with theoretical facts. The theory is that these lesser men where to be inferior and to improve or help evolve man the lesser man must be eradicated so that they do not mix genetics with the superior man’s genetics or else it will lead the human race to become extinct.

From the 1820’s the British settlers displaced and abused the aboriginals till the end of the 1820’s. By this time the Tasmanian people had been nearly exterminated. From that point the trend grew around the world. Indigenous people had been pushed to the brink of extinction.

The Declaration of independence was designed to influence the new Americans to gain their rights and freedom from the British governments control. It also was a contract that allowed the people that it would affect to know, that they were going to live on a battlefield for Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of happiness

David Walkers wrote this letter to explain that religion was being used as a manipulative tool to get people to believe that slavery was justifiable. That same religion also mentions to treat all men as brothers therefore leading David to believe that there are hypocritical.

It is interesting to me that Jefferson would have an explanation like; these slaves were considered lesser men, more like animals. In my opinion even with all of these religions, systems, scientific theories, people still can not explain why they are here on this Earth so there shouldn’t be an argument about who does what. Everyone should be given equal opportunity to explore his or her desires as long as they do not harm others in the process.