Surge Summary: The founding documents of the United States of America were anti-slavery: they laid a sturdy groundwork for the eventual elimination of that dastardly institution. Even the “three-fifths clause” of the Constitution, if properly understood, demonstrates the original vision for ending slavery in America.
(Video Column below)
We are barraged again by war in our midst, a war over something as diabolical and nonsensical as skin color. This war has been with us since the creation of man in God’s own image, and its root is an innate hatred towards God, best reflected in the discriminatory destruction of our fellow man due to any quality, as seen in the case of Cain and Abel. This hatred is a sickness we bring upon ourselves when we agree with the enemy of God that men are not created equal, or endowed by their Creator with unalienable rights of life, liberty, or the pursuit of happiness.
The Gospel of Peace teaches people of every color and nationality that hate is synonymous with murder. Clearly, a stop must be put to incidents of hate of all parties concerned, but how?
I personally have repented for the inexcusable atrocious crimes of slavery and systemic racism my country has perpetuated while claiming to adhere to her founding documents of freedom.
I strongly urge Americans to divorce the words of these documents from the hypocritical behavior of many of those in power.
For example, the three-fifths clause in the Constitution has been a huge stumbling block to Americans of African descent. However, we can find solutions for skin-based hatred when we find the true meaning in this clause and the original intent of our founding documents.
It was Frederick Douglass who provided clarity on this issue. In a speech delivered in Glasgow, Scotland, March 26, 1860, Douglass explained the true meaning of the three-fifths compromise:
“It is a downright disability laid upon the slaveholding States; one which deprives those States of two-fifths of their natural basis of representation. A black man in a free State is worth just two-fifths more than a black man in a slave State, as a basis of political power under the Constitution. Therefore, instead of encouraging slavery, the Constitution encourages freedom by giving an increase of “two-fifths” of political power to free over slave States.”
Thus, the three-fifths clause was written for the sole purpose of limiting congressional representation of the slave states and denied the slave states additional pro-slavery representation in Congress!
Frederick Douglass also stated, “Now, take the Constitution according to its plain reading and I defy the presentation of a single pro-slavery clause in it. On the other hand, it will be found to contain principles and purposes entirely hostile to the existence of slavery.”
Though imperfectly, America and Americans have always struggled and inter-meddled with the concept of equality and liberty to all mankind. There are phrases found in our Declaration of Independence like, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal,” or, “Endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights.” Massive amounts of resources, tears, and blood have been consumed on this holy and sacred struggle.
I would be so bold as to add that next to the Bible, America’s founding documents have remained one of the greatest scourges against inequality that the world has ever seen.
I believe adhering to our founding documents and especially to the Word of God, who created all men equal, will continue to provide solutions for the evil sickness of inequality and skin-based hatred that continues to plague the human race.
Sign up for a FREE U.S. Constitution course with Jake MacAulay and the Institute on the Constitution.
Make your tax-deductible donation here!
The views here are those of the author and not necessarily Daily Surge.
Image: Frederick Douglass; https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/; Adapted from: Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com; https://www.flickr.com/photos/notionscapital/11627926935
Stay in the loop on killer content, exclusive videos, and much more!
Jake MacAulay
Jake MacAulay serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the Institute on the Constitution (IOTC), an educational outreach that presents the founders’ “American View” of law and government. IOTC has produced thousands of graduates in all 50 states with a full understanding of the Biblical principles on which America’s founding documents are based. Jake is an ordained minister and former syndicated talk show host who has spoken to audiences nation-wide, and has established the American Club, a constitutional study group in public and private schools.
Surge Summary: The founding documents of the United States of America were anti-slavery: they laid a sturdy groundwork for the eventual elimination of that dastardly institution. Even the “three-fifths clause” of the Constitution, if properly understood, demonstrates the original vision for ending slavery in America.
(Video Column below)We are barraged again by war in our midst, a war over something as diabolical and nonsensical as skin color. This war has been with us since the creation of man in God’s own image, and its root is an innate hatred towards God, best reflected in the discriminatory destruction of our fellow man due to any quality, as seen in the case of Cain and Abel. This hatred is a sickness we bring upon ourselves when we agree with the enemy of God that men are not created equal, or endowed by their Creator with unalienable rights of life, liberty, or the pursuit of happiness.
The Gospel of Peace teaches people of every color and nationality that hate is synonymous with murder. Clearly, a stop must be put to incidents of hate of all parties concerned, but how?
I personally have repented for the inexcusable atrocious crimes of slavery and systemic racism my country has perpetuated while claiming to adhere to her founding documents of freedom.
I strongly urge Americans to divorce the words of these documents from the hypocritical behavior of many of those in power.
For example, the three-fifths clause in the Constitution has been a huge stumbling block to Americans of African descent. However, we can find solutions for skin-based hatred when we find the true meaning in this clause and the original intent of our founding documents.It was Frederick Douglass who provided clarity on this issue. In a speech delivered in Glasgow, Scotland, March 26, 1860, Douglass explained the true meaning of the three-fifths compromise:
“It is a downright disability laid upon the slaveholding States; one which deprives those States of two-fifths of their natural basis of representation. A black man in a free State is worth just two-fifths more than a black man in a slave State, as a basis of political power under the Constitution. Therefore, instead of encouraging slavery, the Constitution encourages freedom by giving an increase of “two-fifths” of political power to free over slave States.”
Thus, the three-fifths clause was written for the sole purpose of limiting congressional representation of the slave states and denied the slave states additional pro-slavery representation in Congress!
Frederick Douglass also stated, “Now, take the Constitution according to its plain reading and I defy the presentation of a single pro-slavery clause in it. On the other hand, it will be found to contain principles and purposes entirely hostile to the existence of slavery.”
Though imperfectly, America and Americans have always struggled and inter-meddled with the concept of equality and liberty to all mankind. There are phrases found in our Declaration of Independence like, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal,” or, “Endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights.” Massive amounts of resources, tears, and blood have been consumed on this holy and sacred struggle.I would be so bold as to add that next to the Bible, America’s founding documents have remained one of the greatest scourges against inequality that the world has ever seen.
I believe adhering to our founding documents and especially to the Word of God, who created all men equal, will continue to provide solutions for the evil sickness of inequality and skin-based hatred that continues to plague the human race.
Sign up for a FREE U.S. Constitution course with Jake MacAulay and the Institute on the Constitution.
Make your tax-deductible donation here!
The views here are those of the author and not necessarily Daily Surge.
Image: Frederick Douglass; https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/; Adapted from: Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com; https://www.flickr.com/photos/notionscapital/11627926935
Stay in the loop on killer content,
exclusive videos, and much more!
Jake MacAulay
Jake MacAulay serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the Institute on the Constitution (IOTC), an educational outreach that presents the founders’ “American View” of law and government. IOTC has produced thousands of graduates in all 50 states with a full understanding of the Biblical principles on which America’s founding documents are based. Jake is an ordained minister and former syndicated talk show host who has spoken to audiences nation-wide, and has established the American Club, a constitutional study group in public and private schools.