On this day in 1775, the Pennsylvania Abolition Society was formed. It’s interesting. The United States, from its very beginning was such a schizophrenic nation. The south really had no problem with being subservient to the British crown. The reason they were for independence was because they saw that very soon, Britain was going to make slavery illegal. So despite what you saw in 1776, slavery was not a side issue in the founding of the country; it is absolutely integral to it.

Mostly those in the north didn’t care. But some did. The Pennsylvania Abolition Society was founded primarily by Quakers. But one of the founding members was the one founder of this country who stands far above all the others: Thomas Paine. But on that issue as on most issues today, Paine was ahead of the curve. I never really accept the claims from conservatives that of course slavery is wrong. These same conservatives claim that the Bible is the literal word of God. And the Bible is downright giddy on the subject of slavery. And remember: it’s okay to beat your slaves, but not so badly that they die within three days. Have some humanity!

But the best recent example of how conservatives are in favor of slavery is Cliven “I want to tell you one more thing I know about the Negro” Bundy. Remember what that one more thing was? It was that African Americans were better off under slavery because at least they learned a trade: cotton picking! That was much better than the fever dream of Bundy where African Americans are all enslaved by welfare checks. I assume he has about as much experience with African Americans as I do Basque separatists. But never mind.

Happy anniversary Pennsylvania Abolition Society!