Takaki Chapter 3

I think the main point of this piece of writing would have to be the points raised up throughout the reading about how the black servants and the white servants were treated differently and also the backgrounds on where most of the servants came from.
The United States did not originate slavery even though most people think that they have. Before African American slaves were brought to the United States white servants were used. The white servants were the so called “outcasts” of society. They came from many parts of the world including England, Germany and Ireland. There were both men and women and most of them were usually convicts, whores, etc. Most of them were lied to, kidnapped, or set up into traps and captured and then forced into slavery. Practically all of these servants came to the United States without families and loved ones. Slaves frequently ran off with each other no matter if they were black or white. Once they were captured they received severe punishment. As you would expect the African Americans received more severe punishment than the whites and that is also the way it still is today unfortunately. Also if white and black servants and white servants were caught together they received severe punishment such as being whipped or being sentenced to serving as a slave for the rest of their lives. This penalty was usually only dealt to the African Americans though and the whites received smaller, less severe punishment. Blacks and whites were also punished if they were caught hanging out together or doing anything sexual. Slaves were eventually defined as property and that is basically how they were treated from then on.
Do you think discrimination between African Americans and whites will ever end and both will be treated equally?
Why do you think that the slaves came from where they came from?

I think that slavery in general is very wrong and should never have been initiated. People should hire other to work for them not force them to. These people had families that they care for then all of the sudden they were snatched away and forced into slavery and they probably would never ever see them again. Another major issue I have is that the African Americans and whites are given completely different punishment for the same crime that they have committed. This is completely unfair and it should definitely be changed as soon as possible because this country needs to have racial equality.