linking this and that

[selenak]

The London Review of Books is currently paywall-free - if I understand correctly, till the year ends - so check out those articles! Some which I've already read:

I sizzle to see you: Cole Porter's letters

George Sand

Sylvia Plath's letters

George Washington as a slave owner

Also, there are still free request sports at the January Meme, so if you want to read me rambling about Watchmen (either the tv show or the comic or both), favourite or unfavourite historical diaries or some of my favourite Beatles songs, ask away!

Comments

[labingi]

Thanks for the interesting links. I find this quote from the Washington article interesting:

Washington was willing to place his life and property on the line to fight for American independence. He was by far the most esteemed statesman in the early republic. Imagine if he had used his reputation to promote a plan for abolition. When it came to taking action to end slavery, he, like most of the revolutionary generation, must be found wanting.

I think the important conclusion to draw here is not Washington was wanting but that social systems have extraordinary power, the power to good people spend their lives committing massive evil. I don't know that I am any less wanting in holding property that, by rights, belongs to the American tribes. But every settler colonial American landholder--every single one--does it.