|
*
Massive
poverty and obscene inequality are such terrible
scourges of our times -- times in which the
world boasts breathtaking advances in science,
technology, industry and wealth accumulation
-- that they have to rank alongside slavery
and apartheid as social evils.
-- Nelson
Mandela
|
|
By
a divine paradox, wherever there is one slave there
are two. So in the wonderful reciprocities of
being, we can never reach the higher levels until
all our fellows ascend with us.
-- Edwin Markham
 |
*
“Emancipate
yourselves
from mental slavery.
None but ourselves
can free our minds.
Won't you help to sing
The songs of freedom?”
-- Bob Marley
|
 |
The
augmentation of slaves weakens the states; and
such a trade is diabolical in itself, and disgraceful
to mankind.
-- George Mason
|
Slavery
as an institution that degraded man to a thing has
never died out. In some periods of history it has
flourished: many civilizations have climbed to power
and glory on the backs of slaves. In other times slaves
have dwindled in number and economic importance. But
never has slavery disappeared.
-- Milton Meltzer
 |
*
"The
saddest sight these days is the image of hundreds
of thousands of children kidnapped and lured
into being child soldiers from the age of eight.
"
-- Sir Roger
Moore
|
*
Compelled
to become instruments of war, to kill and
be killed, child soldiers are forced to give
violent expression to the hatreds of adults
-- Olara Otunnu
|
|
Look
back, to slavery, to suffrage, to integration and
one thing is clear. Fashions in bigotry come and go.
The right thing lasts.
-- Anna Quindlen
|
*
"The
artist must elect to fight for Freedom or for
Slavery.
-- Paul Robeson
|
 |
 |
The
slave is doomed to worship time and fate and
death, because they are greater than anything
he finds in himself, and because all his thoughts
are of things which they devour.
-- Bertrand
Russell
|
|
Slavery
was abolished 150 years ago, right? While it
is true that slavery is illegal almost everywhere
on earth, the fact is there are more slaves
today than there ever were...
-- Robert Alan
Silverstein
|
 |
Once
slavery in America was not seen as radical. It became,
instead, a revolutionary idea that slaves should be
freed. When we have lived under a pernicious power
long enough, no matter how oppressive, we grow so
accustomed to the yoke that its removal seems frightening,
even wrong.
-- Gerry L. Spence
When
we acknowledge the kingdom of the self, we will no
longer accept slavery either for ourselves or for
others, no matter how it is disguised.
-- Gerry L. Spence
|
*
...it
is impossible to make anything beautiful or
desirable in the best regulated administration
of slavery.
-- Harriet Beecher
Stowe
|
|
Whoever
visits some estates there, and witnesses the good-humored
indulgence of some masters and mistresses, and the
affectionate loyalty of some slaves, might be tempted
to dream the oft-fabled poetic legend of a patriarchal
institution, and all that; but over and above the
scene there broods a portentous shadow — the shadow
of law. So long as the law considers all these human
beings, with beating hearts and living affections,
only as so many things belonging to a master — so
long as the failure, or misfortune, or imprudence,
or death of the kindest owner, may cause them any
day to exchange a life of kind protection and indulgence
for one of hopeless misery and toil — so long it is
impossible to make anything beautiful or desirable
in the best regulated administration of slavery.
-- Harriet Beecher Stowe
When
I have been travelling up and down on our boats, or
about on my collecting tours, and reflected that every
brutal, disgusting, mean, low-lived fellow I met,
was allowed by our laws to become absolute despot
of as many men, women and children, as he could cheat,
steal, or gamble money enough to buy,--when I have
seen such men in actual ownership of helpless children,
of young girls and women,--I have been ready to curse
my country, to curse the human race!
-- Harriet Beecher Stowe
“For
in reason, all government without the consent of the
governed is the very definition of slavery.”
-- Jonathan Swift
Freedom
Day
- February 1
End
Slavery Day
- December 2
