Founding fathers Quote by Jewelle Gomez
““I knew I lived in a country founded on the murder of the body and the spirit of others. Native American nations were decimated with little regret, Africans fell beneath the same juggernaut, and all of the bloodshed was aided and abetted by practitioners of Christianity who manufactured innumerable ways to glorify Manifest Destiny and slavery. The Founding Fathers thought it easier to subjugate by dehumanizing their prey; their descendants find it easier to subjugate their prey by humanizing and prioritizing corporate entities.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: The Cost of Manifest Destiny, published in The New Yorker, 2022
The author critiques how Christianity helped justify genocide and slavery, and how modern capitalism continues oppression through dehumanizing practices.
In simple terms: Christianity once justified oppression; now corporate power does.
Key Takeaway
Question and resist systemic injustice.
Themes
history
colonialism
racism
capitalism
Christianity
Mood
critical
somber
Type
political
analytical
When to use this quote
- activism
- education
- policy reform
- community organizing
Key Concepts
imperialism
ethical critique
social justice
Questions to Reflect On
- What role does religion play in modern oppression?
- How can we dismantle corporate dehumanization?
A Different Perspective
Complex historical narratives may oversimplify individual motivations.
