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| Denmark Vesey |
A leader in the newly-formed AME church in Charleston, Vesey and a whole network of slaves and freed slaves plotted a bloody rebellion in June of 1822. They were going to kill the mayor, along with every white person they saw.
A slave confessed to his master and told of the plot. The plan was squashed. People were arrested. Many were hanged... Vesey was one of them.
That was 193 years ago. The killings that happened in the AME church--almost two centuries later... they were far from what Vesey had planned for Charleston.
Unfortunately, this plan--the plan to shed blood in 2015--was not squashed...
(If you'd like to read a novel in which Vesey has a role, read The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd. Sarah Grimke and Angelina Grimke, two feminists and abolitionists, also are two main characters. It's a wonderful read.)
Sometimes when I turn on the news I have to change the channel. There's so much tragedy and heartbreak in this world. I wonder if people will ever learn to choose love, at least tolerance, over hatred?
ReplyDeletePat
Critter Alley
Pat--Shouldn't that be the easy choice? Shouldn't it be easy to choose love?
DeleteI wish it was...
Not what any of us ever imagined.
ReplyDeleteMama Zen--That's for sure.
DeleteInteresting, sad, informative...and disturbing, that violence is so often the go-to for so many. Human nature, from long before medieval times and after, right up to now. Centuries and centuries have passed, and we humans don't appear to have learned very much.
ReplyDeleteLisa--We are indeed a stupid species, in many ways...
DeleteCrazy people, like Dylann Roof cannot be anticipated.
ReplyDeleteMichael--It's too bad we cannot predict this kind of violence, like we can track an upcoming storm.
DeleteI've read the Kidd book and found it very good. There is interview with her in latest Writer magazine. As for the violence in our world today, I am perplexed too. But then violence has always been around, beginning with Cain and Abel. I think it is worse now though...more of us period and more of us who think we are entitled to things, that we have no responsiblities, that we are a people without civility.
ReplyDeleteClaudia--I'll have to find that magazine, because I'd be very interested in reading that interview. Thanks for the heads up.
DeleteYes, unfortunately, there's lots of uncivil behavior going on...
The NRA solution is always more guns. It hasn't worked yet, but they don't seem to get it. We're on a national shooting spree.
ReplyDeleteJono--Yeah, and what's going to stop it?
DeleteOne of the things that bothers me most is that these nut bags always seem to go for the kindest and most innocent people, like church goers and schoolchildren. It hurt to read that he said he almost didn't go through with it because everyone was so nice to him. On a lighter note, how cool is the name "Denmark?!"
ReplyDeleteTammy--"Nut bags" is the perfect term to use in this case. And I agree--Denmark is a cool name.
DeleteNever heard of Vesey but you've piqued my interest--will add Sue Monk Kidd's book to the TBR pile.
ReplyDeleteHurting for Charleston, for what still goes on in this country I love.
Cathy--I think you will enjoy the book.
ReplyDeleteYes, that's the sad thing... it never stops...