If you want to exercise dominion over someone, strip him of his humanity. In some cases, it’s not just a metaphor. Africans were brought here naked, in chains. But that’s rare. Usually, the dehumanization has little to do with exterior insults and more with intangibles, like abusive psychologies and oppressive laws. Blacks were still slaves under Jim Crow, even though they were clothed. Women were second-class citizens until we obtained the right to change government, that precious vote, but even before the 18th Amendment we were fashion plates.
No, the real way to debase and demean another human is to
To read the rest of Christine Flowers' superb column in the Philadelphia Daily News please click here.
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