Originally published June 27, 2023 2:00 pm PDT
The Reuters report fails to mention that slavery was commonplace across nearly all nations throughout history.
QUICK FACTS:
- Reuters released a report detailing the various U.S. government officials who are connected to America’s “original sin.”
- According to the report, five living presidents, two Supreme Court justices, 11 governors, and 100 legislators have a slave-holding heritage, something shared by millions of Americans and people across the world.
- At least 8% of Democrats and 28% of Republicans are among those in the last Congress with a heritage of “original sin.”
- Every living U.S. president except for former President Donald Trump is included in the list, as his ancestors immigrated to America after slavery was abolished.
- Reuters discovered the information by analyzing census records, birth and death certificates, tax documents, family Bibles, and other sources.
- When given information pertaining to his ancestry, Republican Senator from South Carolina Lindsey Graham said slavery is the “original sin of the country” and that the United States needs to direct its efforts into cultivating a “more perfect union rather than looking backward.”
- Another representative from South Carolina, Nancy Mace (R), said that slavery is a “stain on this country and we as Americans should be grateful for the progress we’ve made since the 1860s.”
- While some have used the information as a means of calling for slavery reparations, others have questioned why the topic is being revisited altogether.
- “Hopefully, everybody in America is smart enough to know that slavery is abhorrent,” former Representative Mo Brooks (R-AL) said in a phone interview with Reuters. “So the question then becomes, if everybody already knows that it’s abhorrent, what more can you teach from that?”
LINKS TO SLAVERY SWAYS VOTERS:
- A Reuters/Ipsos survey found that 23% of Americans would be less likely to vote for a candidate connected to slavery.
- 31% of Democrats and 35% of Black respondents would be less likely to vote for an individual with slavery in their heritage, according to the poll.
- White respondents in the poll reported that if they knew they were descended from slaveholders, they would be more likely to support reparations.
- Similarly, 53% of white respondents who claim to have connections to the institution of slavery were more likely to support an official Congressional apology for slavery.
BACKGROUND:
- The New York state legislature recently approved a bill for slavery reparations.
- The bill moved through both the state’s House and Senate and is awaiting the consideration of Governor Kathy Hochul (D).
- While one assemblywoman said, “We want to make sure we are looking at slavery and its legacies. This is about beginning the process of healing our communities. There still is generational trauma that people are experiencing. This is just one step forward,” others have expressed that the bill is unnecessary.
- “I’m concerned we’re opening a door that was closed in New York State almost 200 years ago,” said Assemblymember Andy Gooddell (R).
