// Jim, you’ve gone from genocide to all around every other house you can think of in order to prove that black Africans were abducted into slavery simply because they were black and that really isn’t so. //
I'm not intending to reduce it to solely one cause, so it isn't true that I am trying to prove that black Africans were abducted "simply because they were black". I am, however, saying that it was a major contributing factor, in setting up the necessary mindset even to consider it. There is a world of difference between "a major factor" and "simply because". No doubt money motivated the decision to "enslave" rather than "exterminate", but the fact that this was seen as the choice to be made should speak words for how little regard was given to those of a different race, a different skin colour, from the "white settlers".
None of this is undermined by the existence of black slave traders, either. It would, of course, undermine the "simply because" argument -- but, as I say, that was never the argument I was making. The topic of the slavery of black Africans by other Africans is touched on, of course, in the same link I give, and amazingly the author manages to be insulting to everybody:
"That the African is an inferior variety of the human race is, I think, now generally admitted, and his distinguishing characteristics are such as peculiarly mark him out for the situation which he occupies among us... The most remarkable is their indifference to personal liberty. In this they have followed their instincts... by enslaving each other; but contrary to the experience of every race, the possession of slaves has no material effect in raising the character, and promoting the civilisation of the master."
They can't even do slavery properly, it seems! The racism inherent in this passage, and many others like it, is staggering.
The starting point for any path to slavery is always the same: to deny the humanity of the victims. Be it their race, their culture, it matters not. All can play a part. After that comes the choice of making money out of the victims, or merely disposing of them en masse.
* * * * *
It is gratifying, at least, to see agreement with andy that Starkey's resignations and sackings are appropriate, and not before their time. A fuss over the first half of his sentence may be mistaken, and is in any case pointless, but he was doomed the moment he asked "why are there so many damned blacks?" He deserves no sympathy.