23036: Allouard: Re: 23020: Esser: The White Curse (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Allouard <allouard@libertysurf.fr>

QUOTE
"On the first day of his year, freedom in this world turned 200. But
no one noticed, or almost no one. [...] Haiti was the first country to
abolish slavery. However, the most
widely read encyclopedias and almost all educational textbooks
attribute this honorable deed to England. [...] But abolition in Britain
took place in 1807, three
years after the Haitian revolution, and it was so unconvincing that
in 1832 Britain had to ban slavery again."
UNQUOTE

Eduardo Galeano
The White Curse
The Progressive magazine, June 2004
http://www.progressive.org/


Taking into account the legitimate rhetorical aspect of a newspaper article,
I nevertheless wonder about the fruitfulness of this claim repeted over and
aver again: Haiti was the first country to abolish slavery...

First, it appears that slavery was outlawed in northern "French"  kingdom
(Neustria) by regent Queen Bathilde. I also read but coul not tell for sure
if it is so that old French rule that any slave setting foot on french
kingdom is free is related to Bathilde.

Second, fighting slavery and its ideologies is an old and long battle...
>From saint Paul to our days, troughout medieval times and the Renaissance it
went on christian grounds... We can here mention that the Congregation of
the Holy Office (the Roman Inquisition) took up the matter. On March 20,
1686, it ruled in the form of questions and answers:

QUOTE
"It is asked:
Whether it is permitted to capture by force and deceit Blacks and other
natives who have harmed no one?
Answer: no.

Whether it is permitted to buy, sell or make contracts in their respect
Blacks or other natives who have harmed no one and been made captives by
force of deceit?
Answer: no.

Whether the possessors of Blacks and other natives who have harmed no one
and been captured by force or deceit, are not held to set them free?
Answer: yes.

Whether the captors, buyers and possessors of Blacks and other natives who
have harmed no one and who have been captured by force or deceit are not
held to make compensation to them?
Answer: yes."
UNQUOTE


Third, this being said not no diminished the special glory of Haitian
victory upon slavery and slave owners... It is because history is not
limited to modern (post medieval) times. It is because to praise rightfully
is to tell the truth... Just to follow Socrates' advice in the Symposium:

QUOTE
For in my simplicity I imagined that the topics of praise should be true,
and that this being presupposed, out of the true the speaker was to choose
the best and set them forth in the best manner. And I felt quite proud,
thinking that I knew the nature of true praise, and should speak well.
Whereas I now see that the intention was to attribute to Love every species
of greatness and glory, whether really belonging to him not, without regard
to truth or falsehood-that was no matter; for the original, proposal seems
to have been not that each of you should really praise Love, but only that
you should appear to praise him. And so you attribute to Love every
imaginable form of praise which can be gathered anywhere; and you say that
"he is all this," and "the cause of all that," making him appear the fairest
and best of all to those who know him not, for you cannot impose upon those
who know him. And a noble and solemn hymn of praise have you rehearsed.
UNQUOTE

Best regards,

                                    Philippe Allouard