Ghana’s President John Mahama has received the African Union’s backing in pushing the United Nations to recognize transatlantic slavery as the ‘gravest crime against humanity.’

There is broad historical consensus that the transatlantic slave trade between the 15th and 19th centuries, which involved the kidnapping, enslavement and transport of millions of Africans to the Americas and the Caribbean, was one of the biggest tragedies in human history.

  • minorkeys@lemmy.world
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    20 hours ago

    They just enslaved 25 generations of African’s children who happened to be right next door and not require risky and expensive naval transport, for 1300 years, castrating the slaves so they could never have children and would be more docile. So much better…

      • minorkeys@lemmy.world
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        18 hours ago

        Why am I sick? That’s literally the Arab slave trade. I didn’t start whataboutism, you did. I just asked how the AST compared to others. Ya know, all the others that nobody talks about because only the AST can ever be discussed? Oh maybe you don’t know, because only AST can ever be discussed.

        • chuckleslord@lemmy.world
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          11 hours ago

          No, your first comment “asking” how the Arab slave trade compares is the whataboutism.

          But let’s finish this, shall we? How does the AST compare to others? The history of slavery in the Muslim world between 5th and 20th centuries had between 6-10 million victims. Meanwhile, the Atlantic Slave Trade had 12‐15 million victims stolen from Africa between the 15th and 19th centuries. Meaning more were taken over a shorter period of time, requiring a more violent and genocidal act to accomplish. So, the stealing was worse.

          And, remember, unlike the Arab slave trade, those aren’t the only victims. All of the African diaspora in the Americas are descendents of generations of the most cruel form of slavery humans have ever devised. An active, ongoing genocide as people were constantly displaced from their loved ones over and over again. They weren’t allowed any privacy except during church (for a religion forced on them). They had to marry in secret. Their children were taken from them, never to be seen again. Their hair was shorn for “wool”. Their dead were taken for leather and their bones used to process sugar.

          Oh! And in America, at least, they’re still being used as slaves (13th amendment) to this day.

          So yes, again, this was the worst crime humanity ever committed. Sit the fuck down with this shit. Trying to fucking whatabout the goddamn Atlantic Slave Trade.

          • minorkeys@lemmy.world
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            5 hours ago

            It’s a basic part of cognition to compare things when claims of are made about something being the worst. Any ‘whataboutism’ is your own bias projection. Why do you want to erase the victims of other slavery systems from the conversation?