Equality

November 8equality,slavery,louisiana state museum

I am thankful for equality. Everyone was not necessarily created equal with regard to social status, skills, monetary status, health, etc., but everyone was created with the freedom to be who they can be and that should be without regard to discrimination based on race or other factors. Slavery has existed for thousands of years. It was prevalent in biblical days and, as you know, through the early history of our own country. It took the Civil War and the Thirteenth Amendment to the US Constitution in 1865 to do away with people owning other people. Imagine what it is like to be bought and sold into slavery and to be another person's property until death. Not a pleasant thought. These days we hear about human trafficking for sexual slavery or other reasons. So slavery is not entirely dead in this world. Unfortunate.

This is a photo taken in the Louisiana State Museum of a re-created slave market. This is the first time I had been to this museum. It is two floors jam packed full of Louisiana history and Louisiana culture. I definitely recommend it to everyone.

slavery

i am a slave to myself

bought and paid

nobody else can use

me for trade

good or bad

for better or worse

i belong to me

good fortune or curse

whatever occurs

nobody else to blame

it’s all on my own shoulders

every day the same

but if i need a little help

i can ask above

sharing the burden and pain

through patience and love.

© rt tulley