I freed a thousand slaves. I would have freed a thousand more, if only they had known that they were slaves... - Harriet Tubman Though the face of this institution has changed, much of its nature remains the same. Gone are the Masters that held papers identifying certain negroes as their property. Gone are the Overseers that kept those same negroes in line as they worked on the Masters property and in his fields. Gone are the whipping posts where punishment was doled out to those that caused the slightest offense. Gone are the ropes cast over low hanging branches of trees where so many a life came to a senseless end. Gone are the physical reminders of an institution that represents the darkest time in this still young nations history. But sadly, that is all thats gone; the physical proof of its existence. The mentality, however is still all too present. The Master has been replaced by Companies that set the trends. From Nike to Coach, from Lexus to Mercedes the Masters are varied. They set the rules for what is acceptable and what makes life worth living. But they arent the only Master. The government joins in and provides food and shelter for its subjects either for free or at a discounted price. The Overseer has been replaced by celebrities that not only tout and flaunt the Masters wears, but make the slaves feel like they are nothing if they dont follow suit. But these arent the only Overseers. The politicians join in and convince them that they should be grateful for the Masters mercy and charity, leading them to continue to keep them in their positions. The whipping posts have been replaced by social media where the dissenters are publicly flogged, not by the Overseer oh no....by the rest of the subjects themselves who attack them and berate them for not going along with the flow or supporting the status quo. Those low hanging branches with the infamous nooses are now mental rather than physical. Because instead of standing for truth and freedom, some will give in and slip the noose around their own necks...dying to their own true selves. And the final change? The role of slave is no longer reserved for those with darker complexions. In an effort to increase production and profit, the masses are now fair game and anyone can be enslaved. Be it Black, Caucasian, Asian, Hispanic, etc., no one is immune from being targeted. But the Overseers are doing an excellent job of promoting and selling the products of the Masters all while thinking that they are being independent and living the life. But theyre just as enslaved as the rest of the masses. Their livelihood and their existence hinge on the attention they garner from the lowly slaves by way of the Masters designs the same way the Overseer of days past longed for the physical Masters recognition and adoration. So we all wind up in the same proverbial boat...locked up and chained together, totally unaware that freedom has eluded us all in the pursuit of worldly possessions and riches. How many of us could be freed if we only knew that we are slaves?
Posted on: Thu, 30 Jan 2014 04:13:10 +0000
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