I would like to commend the Monitor and Jonathan Baird for the sensitive and insightful piece published in the Dec. 26 Forum on the murder and life of Fred Hampton. Too many people today still do not understand the Black Panthers’ mission of improving their communities and addressing the many acknowledged brutalities the impoverished communities suffered.
Of our 21 Founding Fathers, 14 owned slaves, including those from Maryland, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and New York. The only state that had Founders with no slave owners was Connecticut. Although all states, except South Carolina and Georgia, exhibited varying degrees of being opposed to slavery, they all (unanimous) agreed to continue slavery for economic reasons. That was the moment our Constitution was tested and that was the moment it failed.
Wouldn’t it have been grand if at least one of our Founding Fathers had stood up and said “men” means mankind and includes all, regardless of gender or race? Why didn’t that happen? Twenty-one white Christian men voting for a capitalist (private ownership vs. social needs) democracy. Something to keep in mind in these troubled times when all “minorities” still struggle for their lives, much less power and money.
As John Maynard Keynes said: “Capitalism is the astounding belief that the most wickedest of men will do the most wickedest of things for the greatest good of everyone.”
ELIZABETH HODGES
Concord