I suppose if we're being honest with ourselves, one benefit was getting to leave Africa and come to America. There seems to be a lot of people out here dying to illegally cross our borders.
Holy shit this is stupid. These people were forcibly taken from their homes, stacked like wood in the holds of ships where many of them died, then treated worse than animals when they got here. So no, that wasn't a benefit.
No I'm just being provocative for the sake of conversation.
Overall I think their generational offspring's lives are likely "improved" compared to maybe the similar generations who remained in their homeland these days.
However, those that were slaves definitely suffered a very unjust and horrific existence that is inexcusable.
I mean, when you converse with highly reactionary and closed minded people, yeah. But having these types of conversations and exploring uncomfortable topics is actually very healthy for society. Censorship and pearl clutching tends to be regressive.
They were taken hostage by African Tribes, sold to the Dutch, put on ships, shipped to North and South America, and forced into slavery. I don't think you can compare that to migrants fleeing to Canada, who are trapped south of the United States border.
Yeah it must have been really great to get kidnapped from your home and family and forcibly sold into slavery, shipped from one undeveloped country to another undeveloped country. Stop with this nonsense - there is nothing good about slavery. Period. Done. End of story. Absolutely sickening. Pure evil.
Yeah what luck! America in 1619, with its gleaming cities and endless opportunities - every African aspired to be a member of those huddled masses yearning to breathe enslaved!
How about this, what if the millions of black people that were brought over to the states, instead remained in Africa and built it to be a prominent and thriving nation.
If it wasn’t for black slaves building the U.S. one could argue that it wouldn’t be where it is today.
I believe the African tribesmen are the ones who sold them.
That's not really a defense; considering not one cracker stopped and said "hey, wait, this is wrong; these aren't chattel" for another two hundred and fifty years.
Don't get me wrong, I am in no way defending what occurred. It is horrible, terrible shit beyond redemption. I was just pointing out that often overlooked aspect of history.
Yeah I'm sure the thousands of people who died in the hulls of slave ships, chained in place in their own piss and shit and sick, hungry and afraid, really appreciated the chance to come to America where the streets are paved with gold. You fucking moron.
The America they were forced to come to was vastly different from the one we live in today. How would that be better than where they already lived? How would someone benefit from being ripped from their family and support system and dropped in an undeveloped country to do forced labor?