[Dixielandjazz] Slavery - blues

[Bill Gunter]

Listmates,

The discussion on slavery in the U.S. is NOT a proper topic for discussion 
on the DJML unless we include the obvious jazz dimension (ie - jazz/blues 
roots).

As far as Lincoln is concerned, his place in the pantheon of America's 
greatest leaders is firmly established. Regardless of interpretations of 
Lincoln's motives and attitudes concerning blacks and given the fact the 
Emancipation Proclamation was limited to certain slaveholding states, it is 
still indisputable that Lincoln is the the one who "put it all on the line" 
to save the union and in doing so, ended slavery as an institution in 
America for all time!

Racism? Bigotry? Stereotypical attitudes toward minorities? Haven't these 
human frailties been with humankind since (and before) the dawn of 
civilization? It seems quite probable to me that these attitudes among our 
fellow citizens are ubiquitious and will be around as long as there are at 
least three people in the world (two to gang up against the third). It's 
absurd to attribute these xenophobic behavior patterns to the guiding 
concepts of America's tenets as expressed in the Declaration of Independence 
and the Constitution. Racism in the U.S. (indeed anywhere) is the result of 
individual human frailties and is not to be found in the perfection of our 
founding documents.

Jazz/Blues/Folk idioms are creative expressions which easily arise in areas 
of conflict and social trauma. These are escape mechanisms to overcome 
adversities and find joy and fulfillment in our lives.

Finally, if humans had somehow lived together without strife and bitterness 
since the evolution of our species there would be no such thing as the 
blues.

Respectfully submitted,

Bill "Let's all love one another . . . yeah, right" Gunter
jazzboard@hotmail.com

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