Montgomery, Alabama
April 11th, 1861
Jefferson Davis, speaking at a pro-slavery rally: “We here
in the South are pro-choice. Choice is good. America is all about choice. We
choose to have slaves. Slavery is a simple, but vital matter of economic health. And slaves aren’t
really people. Slaves are dependent on slave owners for sustenance and cannot
self-govern due to this dependency. Therefore, they are not their own beings.
However, if a master intends to one day free his slave, he has an obligation to
treat the slave in a manner consistent with continued life. If he does not, no
such duty is required, obviously. We believe in a person’s right to choose whether to own a slave. Those who would
restrict or abolish our right to choose really seek to control our bodies and
extinguish our autonomy and freedom. We have a moral right to decide what to do
with our own bodies. The right to slavery is crucial for regional equality and
for those of us in the South to achieve our full potential and not continue to
be shackled by dictates from the northern states. Attempts to ban slavery put
those of us in the South at risk by forcing
us to do something illegal. The right to own slaves should be part of a broader
portfolio of property rights that enables southerners to make truly free
choices as to whether or not to possess other folks. I’m pro-choice because it
is time to support the mental health and well-being of Southerners. I’m
pro-choice because it is time for Northerners to stop dictating the actions of
Southerners. I am pro-choice because eliminating slavery would be financially
ruinous for individuals as well as the Confederacy as a whole. I’m pro-choice
because the South’s social, moral and economic choices are nobody else’s
business. I am pro-choice because I support freedom of—and from—religion. No other person’s religious beliefs have authority
over anyone else. I am pro-choice because illegal and unsafe slavery should
never be the last resort. I am pro-choice
because slavery is obviously not equivalent to murder. I mean, it’s not
like abortion, right? In fact, I am pro-choice
because it would be too hard for slaves to face a brutal and unforgiving world
of dwindling resources without their masters providing food and shelter. And
finally, I am pro-choice because I
support the empowerment and advancement of Southerners. Thank you.” (Much cheering and placard waving).
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