Not going to go very deep into this subject because I fear the hate it stirs up…and I don’t need or want the negativity in my life right now; and, I have no desire to spend any amount of time defending my words when those who will want to argue don’t know what is inside my heart and my mind.

Sally Hemings was the lover, slave, maid of Thomas Jefferson.  Her pigment was light and not dark..light as in more caucasian. She was also the half sister of Thomas Jefferson’s beloved wife, Martha who died before her time.  Sally and Martha had the same father – so their Daddy dearest was relieving himself with Martha’s mother and Sally’s mother who was his slave.  I find this disgusting.  What I find more disgusting is that Thomas Jefferson preyed on teenage Sally Hemings.  She had the opportunity to be free while living with him in Paris for two years…she and her brother who was his ‘man’.  But, she and her brother chose to return with him to America because of love, because of loyalty, because it is what they knew??? and the rest is history.

I have always loved Thomas Jefferson’s words – he was obviously a smart and articulate man.  But as I read more about him…I feel a lot of contempt.

But should I?

While I find it hard to entertain the idea of slavery!  All aspects of slavery.  I always come back to the question – should we condemn the white slave owner?  Were they just living the way they knew how to live.  Did they really believe that africans were just a step above animals.  In fact many times just a step below animals.  I find it unfathomable that human beings did not see other human beings as the same…but as I try to understand the mentality of the time…I am starting to believe that they just didn’t know.  They didn’t know it was just a pigment difference.

…..and I think it begat generations of hatred – blacks against whites.

But then the craziness happened again with hitler and the jewish race.

….and it is happening again now in America with sexual orientation and hatred.

….and it is happening again between religions.

We do not look at those different from us as equal….and when I say we….I mean all of us and our own personal prejudices.

Until next time…