As a non-american, can someone post the content of these amendments?
Summaries from Wikipedia:
13
Abolishes slavery, and involuntary servitude, except as punishment for a crime
14
Defines citizenship, contains the Privileges or Immunities Clause, the Due Process Clause, and the Equal Protection Clause, and deals with post–Civil War issues
15
Prohibits the denial of the right to vote based on race, color or previous condition of servitude
It was abused until FDR ended slavery during World War 2 by signing Biddle’s Circular 3591 on 12/12/1941. Which is why he was the best president
To expand for a non-American who still may not understand the context:
The 13th amendment abolishes slavery in the US, where slavery at the time (prior to 1865) was based on the notion in the southern states that you could and should be owned as a slave if you were black. That included lifelong servitude of you and your children, any punishment deemed appropriate including severe physical punishments, and murder without consequence. Even if you were a free black man, and not shipped in from Africa like the majority of slaves, you could be captured by police and auctioned to someone to work on their plantation.
The 14th amendment establishes primarily that all persons in the US are equal regardless of the color of their skin. The bloodiest war in US history (Civil War, 1861-1865) was fought over the right for the southern states to declare it legal to own slaves, vs the northern states wanting slavery abolished federally. These amendments were ratified after the north won. Even after the war, it took another hundred years before Americans as a whole saw non-white people as equal. This and the next amendment were very much necessary to protect the newly found rights of former slaves.
The 15th, at least, is self explanatory.
The point of this meme is literally positing that it’s ok to make black people slaves again if other parts of the constitution can change, because they’re pretty boldly racist. There’s not much else to it.
it took another hundred years before Americans as a whole saw non-white people as equal
We’ve probably got the majority at this point, but this view is definitely not universal among US citizens. I grew up in a place where lots of folks would casually disagree with this notion.
I just read the 13th amendment for the first time and one thing is unclear. Is it slavery or involuntary servitude that is allowed as punishment (or both?).
Because forced labor as a punishment to repay society seems morally ok (to me) whereas slavery (and thus, ownership of people) still seems wrong even as a punishment
After a quick Google search I think they are:
13th: No slavery except as punishment for crime
14th: Everyone born in the USA is granted citizenship (also for former slaves)
15th: Everyone has the right to vote
From Constitution US
The 13th Amendment is about the abolition of slavery. The promise that slavery, or “involuntary servitude,” would exist no longer within the United States. The exception here is on the conviction of a crime. This amendment was ratified on December 6, 1865.
The 14th Amendment is the assertion that all those born or naturalized within the United States are citizens of the United States. Furthermore, the promise that no state will enforce any law that will damage these privileges in any way. This is also known as the Equal Protection Clause and was ratified on July 9, 1868.
The 15th Amendment stipulates that any citizen of the United States has the right to vote, regardless of their race and color of their skin. This constitutional amendment also mentions those with a “previous condition of servitude,” which grants the right to former slaves. It was ratified on February 3, 1870.
Essentially, these three amendments were passed after the South got their shit kicked in in the Civil War and guarantee that the US government can not be discriminate against someone based on race
I mean yeah, theoretically. Do you think any of the politicians anyone votes for would support something so blatantly evil?
The Right murdering “Benefit of the Doubt” in its sleep again? Must be a day during one of the first 12 months of the year.
This looks like a red (republican) accusing a blue (democrat) of wanting to abolish those amendments.
As ridiculous as most people would find it, there are a lot of Republicans that view Democrats as the party of slavery and racism, both in the past and currently. The current focus on race-based equity instead of equality just emphasizes it in their minds.
there are a lot of Republicans that view Democrats as the party of slavery and racism
No, they don’t actually genuinely believe that, they’re just muddying the waters to steer the conversation away from racism in 2023.
You sound awfully sure of yourself. Have anything to back it up?
I am not surprised you don’t agree with their beliefs, but saying definitively that those beliefs don’t exist surely comes with more than: Haha! I know how that could be wrong!
If you were talking about politicians and not the party members, I might even find it to be a plausible statement.
Sure, say to those people, “Look, the racist Dems have created a huge racial wealth gap between white and black families, let’s OWN the racist Dems by creating and supporting policies that help the most impoverished black families and close the wealth gap.”
All of the sudden they won’t care about racism, they’ll care about “it’s because of black culture”, “thugs”, “black on black violence”, “welfare queens”, “absent father”, “well that’s racist against white people”.
But yeah, if you find me one Republican that’s like, “yeah, let’s own the racist Dems by lifting impoverished black families and decreasing the racial wealth gap”, that’s a Republican I was wrong about.
Never forget that if someone is lying, it’s because they expect someone else to believe them. There would be no point to trying to fool the Republican rank-and-file if a majority of them weren’t fools.
That said, there could be a significant amount of self-foolery going on.
Fuck the republican traitor filth.