3 ms·

> no pro-slavery philosophers or intellectuals that have any respect Thomas Jefferson still seems to be quite popular to quote, even here on HN.

bsenftner 4y ago
He's not pro slavery; in fact: Throughout his entire life, Thomas Jefferson was publicly a consistent opponent of slavery. Calling it a “moral depravity” and a “hideous blot,” he believed that slavery presented the greatest threat to the survival of the new American nation. Jefferson also thought that slavery was contrary to the laws of nature, which decreed that everyone had a right to personal liberty." https://www.monticello.org/thomas-jefferson/jefferson-slavery/jefferson-s-attitudes-toward-slavery/ https://www.monticello.org/thomas-jefferson/jefferson-slaver...
- AnonMessiah 4y ago
  >"...enslaved more than six-hundred people over the course of his life" Seems to me that if you do own 600 people over the course of your life you, at least implicitly, condone slavery.
  - bsenftner 4y ago
    If you want to write him off that quickly, feel free, but you're short sighting yourself. Finding oneself in a society with slavery, Jefferson purchased slaves from owners that abused them, and then did his best to ensure others knew the cruelty of those individuals, triggering a local society shunning of them and repercussions in their church - which at the time was very powerful. Jefferson's own handling and treatment of his slaves was extremely humane considering the status quo at that time.
    - morelisp 4y ago
      > Jefferson's own handling and treatment of his slaves was extremely humane considering the status quo at that time. Literally a pro-slavery intellectual position defended on HN, thx for the case study.
      - bsenftner 4y ago
        This is why we can't have real intellectual discussions on HN: assholes like this projecting and defaming. Nothing of your claim is true.

3 ms·

> no pro-slavery philosophers or intellectuals that have any respect Thomas Jefferson still seems to be quite popular to quote, even here on HN.

by morelisp 4y ago

bsenftner 4y ago
He's not pro slavery; in fact: Throughout his entire life, Thomas Jefferson was publicly a consistent opponent of slavery. Calling it a “moral depravity” and a “hideous blot,” he believed that slavery presented the greatest threat to the survival of the new American nation. Jefferson also thought that slavery was contrary to the laws of nature, which decreed that everyone had a right to personal liberty." https://www.monticello.org/thomas-jefferson/jefferson-slavery/jefferson-s-attitudes-toward-slavery/ https://www.monticello.org/thomas-jefferson/jefferson-slaver...
- AnonMessiah 4y ago
  >"...enslaved more than six-hundred people over the course of his life" Seems to me that if you do own 600 people over the course of your life you, at least implicitly, condone slavery.
  - bsenftner 4y ago
    If you want to write him off that quickly, feel free, but you're short sighting yourself. Finding oneself in a society with slavery, Jefferson purchased slaves from owners that abused them, and then did his best to ensure others knew the cruelty of those individuals, triggering a local society shunning of them and repercussions in their church - which at the time was very powerful. Jefferson's own handling and treatment of his slaves was extremely humane considering the status quo at that time.
    - morelisp 4y ago
      > Jefferson's own handling and treatment of his slaves was extremely humane considering the status quo at that time. Literally a pro-slavery intellectual position defended on HN, thx for the case study.
      - bsenftner 4y ago
        This is why we can't have real intellectual discussions on HN: assholes like this projecting and defaming. Nothing of your claim is true.